General Motion

Passengers on this amusement ride are subjected to curvilinear

translation since the vehicle moves in a circular path but always
remains upright.
If the angular motion of the rotating arms is known, how can we
determine the velocity and acceleration experienced by the
passengers?
Does each passenger feel the same acceleration?
Gears, pulleys and cams, which rotate about fixed axes, are
often used in machinery to generate motion and transmit
forces. The angular motion of these components must be
understood to properly design the system.
How can we relate the angular motions of contacting bodies
that rotate about different fixed axes?
 RIGID BODY MOTION
There are cases where an object cannot be treated as a particle. In
these cases the size or shape of the body must be considered.
Also, rotation of the body about its center of mass requires a
different approach.

For example, in the design of gears, cams, and links in machinery

or mechanisms, rotation of the body is an important aspect in the
analysis of motion.

We will now start to study rigid body motion. The analysis will
be limited to planar motion.

A body is said to undergo planar motion when all parts of the

body move along paths equidistant from a fixed plane.
 PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION
There are three types of planar rigid body motion.
 PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION
(continued)

Translation: Translation occurs if every line segment on the body

remains parallel to its original direction during the motion.
When all points move along straight lines, the motion is called
rectilinear translation.
When the paths of motion are curved lines, the motion is called
curvilinear translation.
PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION

(continued)
Rotation about a fixed axis: In this case,
all the particles of the body, except those
on the axis of rotation, move along
circular paths in planes perpendicular to
the axis of rotation.

General plane motion: In this case,

the body undergoes both translation
and rotation. Translation occurs
within a plane and rotation occurs
about an axis perpendicular to this
plane.
 PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION

• Identify the types of motion in this mechanism:

B
A

C D
PLANAR RIGID BODY
MOTION
An example of bodies
undergoing the three types
of motion is shown in this
mechanism.

The wheel and crank undergo rotation about a fixed axis. In this
case, both axes of rotation are at the location of the pins and
perpendicular to the plane of the figure.
The piston undergoes rectilinear translation since it is
constrained to slide in a straight line.
The connecting rod undergoes curvilinear translation, since it
will remain horizontal as it moves along a circular path.
The connecting rod undergoes general plane motion, as it will
both translate and rotate.
RIGID-BODY MOTION: TRANSLATION
The positions of two points A and
B on a translating body can be
related by
rB = rA + rB/A
where rA & rB are the absolute
position vectors defined from the
fixed x-y coordinate system, and
rB/A is the relative-position vector
between B and A.
The velocity at B is vB = vA+ drB/A/dt .
Now drB/A/dt = 0 since rB/A is constant. So, vB = vA, and by
following similar logic, aB = aA.
Note, all points in a rigid body subjected to translation move
with the same velocity and acceleration.
RIGID-BODY MOTION: ROTATION ABOUT A FIXED AXIS

When a body rotates about a fixed axis, any point P in the body
travels along a circular path. The angular position of P is
defined by q.

The change in angular position, d, is called the angular

displacement, with units of either radians or revolutions. They
are related by
1 revolution = 2 radians

Angular velocity, , is obtained by taking the time derivative of

angular displacement:
 = d/dt (rad/s) +

Similarly, angular acceleration is

 = d2/dt2 = d/dt or  = (d/d) + rad/s2

RIGID-BODY MOTION: ROTATION ABOUT A FIXED AXIS (continued)

If the angular acceleration of the body is

constant, a = aC, the equations for angular
velocity and acceleration can be integrated
to yield the set of algebraic equations
below.
w = wO + aCt
q = qO + wOt + 0.5aCt2
w2 = (wO)2 + 2aC (q – qO)
qO and wO are the initial values of the body’s angular
position and angular velocity. Note these equations are
very similar to the constant acceleration relations
developed for the rectilinear motion of a particle.
RIGID-BODY ROTATION: VELOCITY OF POINT P

The magnitude of the velocity of P is equal to

wr (the text provides the derivation). The
velocity’s direction is tangent to the circular
path of P.

In the vector formulation, the magnitude and

direction of v can be determined from the cross
product of w and rp . Here rp is a vector from
any point on the axis of rotation to P.
v = w x rp = w x r
The direction of v is determined by the right-
hand rule.
RIGID-BODY ROTATION: ACCELERATION OF POINT P

The acceleration of P is expressed in terms of its normal (an)

and tangential (at) components.
In scalar form, these are at = a r and an = w2 r.

The tangential component, at, represents the time rate of

change in the velocity's magnitude. It is directed tangent to
the path of motion.

The normal component, an, represents the time rate of

change in the velocity’s direction. It is directed toward the
center of the circular path.
RIGID-BODY ROTATION: ACCELERATION OF POINT P (continued)

Using the vector formulation, the acceleration

of P can also be defined by differentiating the
velocity.

a = dv/dt = dw/dt x rP + w x drP/dt

= a x rP + w x (w x rP)

It can be shown that this equation reduces to

a = a x r + w2r = at + an

The magnitude of the acceleration vector is a = (at)2 + (an)2

 ROTATION ABOUT A FIXED AXIS: PROCEDURE

• Establish a sign convention along the axis of rotation.

• If a relationship is known between any two of the variables (a,
w, q, or t), the other variables can be determined from the
equations: w = dq/dt a = dw/dt a dq = w dw
• If a is constant, use the equations for constant angular
acceleration.

• To determine the motion of a point, the scalar equations v = w r,

at = a r, an = w2r , and a = (at)2 + (an)2 can be used.
• Alternatively, the vector form of the equations can be used
(with i, j, k components).
v = w x rP = w x r
a = at + an = a x rP + w x (w x rP) = a x r – w2r
 READING QUIZ

1. If a rigid body is in translation only, the velocity at

points A and B on the rigid body _______ .
A) are usually different
B) are always the same
C) depend on their position
D) depend on their relative position

2. If a rigid body is rotating with a constant angular

velocity about a fixed axis, the velocity vector at point
P is _______.
A)   rp B) rp 
C) drp/dt D) All of the above.
 EXAMPLE

Given: The motor M begins rotating at

w = 4(1 – e-t) rad/s, where t is in seconds. The radii of the
motor, fan pulleys, and fan blades are 1 in, 4 in, and 16
in, respectively.

Find: The magnitudes of

the velocity and
acceleration at point
P on the fan blade
when t = 0.5 s.
EXAMPLE (Cont)

Plan:
1. Determine the angular velocity and acceleration of the
motor using kinematics of angular motion.
2. Assuming the belt does not slip, the angular velocity and
acceleration of the fan are related to the motor's values
by the belt.
3. The magnitudes of the velocity and acceleration of point
P can be determined from the scalar equations of motion
for a point on a rotating body.
 EXAMPLE (continued)

Solution:

1) Since the angular velocity is given as a function of time,

wm = 4(1 – e-t), the angular acceleration can be found by
differentiation. a = dw /dt = 4e-t rad/s2
m m

When t = 0.5 s,
wm = 4(1 – e-0.5) = 1.5739 rad/s, am = 4e-0.5 = 2.4261 rad/s2
2) Since the belt does not slip (and is assumed inextensible),
it must have the same speed and tangential component of
acceleration at all points. Thus the pulleys must have the
same speed and tangential acceleration at their contact
points with the belt. Therefore, the angular velocities of
the motor (wm) and fan (wf) are related as
v = wm rm = wf rf => (1.5739)(1) = wf(4) => wf = 0.3935 rad/s
 EXAMPLE (continued)

3) Similarly, the tangential accelerations are related as

at = am rm = af rf => (2.4261)(1) = af(4) => af = 0.6065 rad/s2

4) The speed of point P on the the fan, at a radius of 16 in, is

now determined as
vP = wfrP = (0.3935)(16) = 6.30 in/s
The normal and tangential components of acceleration of point P are calculated as
an = (wf)2 rP = (0.3935)2 (16) = 2.477 in/s2
at = af rP = (0.6065) (16) = 9.704 in/s2

The magnitude of the acceleration of P can be determined by

aP = (an)2 + (at)2 = (2.477)2 + (9.704)2 = 10.0 in/s2
 CONCEPT QUIZ
y
2 rad/s2
1. A disk is rotating at 4 rad/s. If it is subjected
to a constant angular acceleration of 2 rad/s2,
determine the acceleration at B. O A
x
A) (4 i + 32 j) ft/s2 B) (4 i - 32 j) ft/s2
2 ft
C) (- 4 i + 32 j) ft/s2 D) (- 4 i -32 j) ft/s2 B

2. A Frisbee is thrown and curves to the right. It is

experiencing
A) rectilinear translation. B) curvilinear translation.
C) pure rotation. D) general plane motion.
GROUP PROBLEM
SOLVING
Starting from rest when s = 0,
pulley A (rA = 50 mm)
is given a constant
angular acceleration,
aA = 6 rad/s2. Pulley C
(rC = 150 mm) has an
inner hub D (rD = 75
mm) which is fixed to
.C and turns with it
Find: The speed of block
B when it has risen
s = 6 m.
GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING
(cont)

Plan:
1) The angular acceleration of pulley C (and hub D) can be
related to aA if it is assumed the belt is inextensible and
does not slip.
2) The acceleration of block B can be determined by using
the equations for motion of a point on a rotating body.
3) The velocity of B can be found by using the constant
acceleration equations.
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)

Solution:
1) Assuming the belt is inextensible and does not slip, it will
have the same speed and tangential component of acceleration
as it passes over the two pulleys (A and C). Thus,
at = aArA = aCrC => (6)(50) = aC(150) => aC = 2 rad/s2

Since C and D turn together, aD = aC = 2 rad/s2

2) Assuming the cord attached to block B is inextensible and
does not slip, the speed and acceleration of B will be the same
as the speed and tangential component of acceleration along
the outer rim of hub D:
aB = (at)D = aDrD = (2)(0.075) = 0.15 m/s2
 GROUP PROBLEM SOLVING (continued)

3) Since aA is constant, aD and aB will be constant. The constant

acceleration equation for rectilinear motion can be used to
determine the speed of block B when s = 6 m (so = vo = 0):

(vB)2 = (vo)2 + 2aB(s – so) +

(vB)2 = 0 + 2(0.15)(6 – 0)

vB = 1.34 m/s
 ATTENTION QUIZ

1. The fan blades suddenly experience an angular acceleration

of 2 rad/s2. If the blades are rotating with an initial angular
velocity of 4 rad/s, determine the speed of point P when the
blades have turned 2 revolutions
(when w = 8.14 rad/s).
A) 14.2 ft/s B) 17.7 ft/s
C) 23.1 ft/s D) 26.7 ft/s
(using v =rω and the angular velocity provided)

2. Determine the magnitude of the acceleration at P when the

blades have turned the 2 revolutions.
A) 0 ft/s2 B) 3.5 ft/s2 (Answer B is tangential acc. & C
is the normal acc.)
C) 115.95 ft/s2 D) 116 ft/s2