Systems of Particles and Rigid Bodies

Abstract

This chapter is the culmination of the primer. To start, the linear momentum of a system of K particles and N rigid bodies is discussed. Similarly, the angular momenta and kinetic energy of such a system are developed. We then turn to the balance laws for such a system. The complete analysis of the resulting differential equations that these laws provide is usually beyond the scope of an undergraduate engineering dynamics course, and instead we focus on some particular results. These results involve using conservations of energy, angular momentum, and linear momentum. We then illustrate how one or more such conservations can be used to obtain solutions to some problems.