CHAPTER FOUR

PLANE KINEMATICS OF RIGID BODIES

 Introduction
• In particle kinematics, we develop the relationship

governing the displacement, velocity, and acceleration of

points as they moved along a straight or curved paths.

• In rigid body kinematics we use these same relationships

but must also account for the rotational motion of the

body as well.
 PLANAR KINEMATICS OF A RIGID BODY

• 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.

• 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.
• 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.
 PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION (continued)

• 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 (continued)
E D
• An example of bodies
undergoing the three types of B
A
motion is shown in this C

mechanism.
• The wheel and crank (A and B) 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.
PLANAR RIGID BODY MOTION (continued)
• The piston (C) undergoes rectilinear
E D
translation since it is constrained to
slide in a straight line. The connecting B
A
rod (D) undergoes curvilinear C

translation, since it will remain

horizontal as it moves along a circular
• The
path.connecting rod (E) 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
• 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.
 Rotation
• The rotation of the a rigid body is described by its
angular motion.
• By considering the figure, the relation
 2 1  
• Differentiating with respect to time gives
   
 2  1 and  2  1
• During a finite interval
 2 1
• All lines on a rigid body in its plane of motion
have the same angular displacement, the same
angular velocity and the same angular
acceleration.
 ANGULAR MOTION RELATIONS
• Angular velocity, , is obtained by taking the time
derivative of angular displacement:
 d dt rad s  +
• Similarly, angular acceleration is
d 2 d
  2  
dt dt
d
d
 rad s 
2

  
d d or  d   d
• For rotation with constant angular acceleration, the
integral become  o  t
1
  o  0t  t 2
2
 2 o2  2    o 

• o and o 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.
 ROTATION ABOUT A FIXED AXIS

• All points on the body rotates in concentric circle

about a fixed axis.
v r
2
an r v2
v
r
at r
• These quantity may be expressed alternatively
using the cross product relationship of vector
notation.
• From the definition of the vector cross product,
we see that the velocity vector v is obtained by
crossing  into r, and gives
 the correct magnitude
v r  r
and direction for v
 • The acceleration is obtained by differentiating the
cross product expression for v, which gives

  
a v  r  r

  r   r
 v   r


•   stands for the angular acceleration

of the body
• Using the normal and tangential coordinate
v  r
an   r 
at  r

• The magnitude of the acceleration vector is

a  an2  at2
 ABSOLUTE PLANE MOTION ANALYSIS

• In the absolute motion analysis of plane kinematics of

rigid bodies, we make use of geometric relations that
define the configuration of the body involved and then
proceed to take the time derivatives of the defining
geometric relations to obtain velocities and acceleration.
• This approach is useful for all rigid bodies as long as the
geometric description is not very complex.
 RELATIVE GENERAL PLANE MOTION ANALYSIS
• RELATIVE VELOCITY
Consider a rigid body in general plane motion
From the figure
B – B’ = A – A’’ : translating only
A’’ – A’ = rotation about B’ only, With B as the
reference point the total displacement of A is:
  
 r A  r B   r A / B
• Dividing the above equation by t and taking the
limit   
v A v B  v A / B


• where  r A/ B

 r 
 r A / B r  lim lim   v A / B
t  0 t t  0
 t 
v A / B r AB
v A / B  AB r
• Consider a rigid body

• Note: VB/A is always perpendicular to the line

joining point A and B.
• Example/ point A as a reference
• Note: in relative general motion analysis we can use
1. Vector algebra method
2. Scalar method
3. Graphical method
• In both of the above cases it is a good
practice to sketch a vector polygon.
• The choice of method to be used depends on
the particular problem at hand.
RELATIVE ACCELERATION
• From relative velocity analysis we have
  
v A v B  v A / B
• Differentiating this equation with respect to time
  
d v A d v B d v A/ B
 
dt dt dt
  
a A a B  a A / B
• From circular motion, we have
  
a A / B  a A / B    a A / B 
  
In scalar form  a  r 2
 n  t  A/ B 
 n
   
• Where  a A / B   r 
  
 a  r
 n    A/ B 
 t
   
 a A / B   r
 t

It is important to observe that the relative acceleration terms

depend on the respective absolute angular acceleration and
angular velocity
• Consider a rigid body in general plane motion

• Note: in solving relative acceleration problems, it

is better to solve velocities first.
APPLICATIONS (continued) Application

• 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.
 Problem 5/5

• The circular disc rotates about its

center O in the direction shown. At
a certain instant point P on the rim
has an acceleration given by a=-3i-
4j m/s2. for this instant determine
the angular velocity w and angular
acceleration of the disc.
 Problem 5/22
• A v-belt speed reduction drive is shown where pulley A drives
the two integral pulleys B which in turn drive pulley C. If A
starts from rest at time t=0 and is given a constant angular
acceleration 1, drive expressions for the angular velocities of C
and the magnitude of the acceleration of a point P on the belt,
both at time t.
 Problem 5/39
• The telescoping link is hinged at o, and
its end A is given a constant upward
velocity of 200mm/s by the piston rod
of the fixed hydraulic cylinder B.
calculate the angular velocity and the
angular acceleration of link OA for the
instant when y = 600mm.
 Problem 5/43

• The hydraulic cylinder C gives

end A of link AB a constant
velocity Vo in the negative x-
direction. Determine expression
for the angular velocity and
angular acceleration of the link
in terms of x.
 Problem 5/65

• The circular disc rolls without

slipping with a clockwise
angular velocity =4rad/s. For
the instant represented write
the vector expressions for the
velocity of A with respect to B
and for the velocity of P.
 Sample Problem 5/10

• The power screw turns at a speed that gives the

threads collar C a velocity of 0.25m/s vertically down.
Determine the angular velocity of the slotted arm when
=300
 Problem 5/75

• Rod CB slides through the

pivoted collar attached to link
OA. If CB has a clockwise
angular velocity of 2rad/s,
determine the angular
velocity OA of link OA when
=600.
 Problem 5/129

• Determine the angular

acceleration of link AB and
the linear acceleration of


A for =90 if
0  0
and 3rad / s 2

at the position. Carry

out your solution using
vector notation.
 Problem 5/135

• Calculate the angular

acceleration of the plate in
the position shown where
control link AO has a
constant angular velocity
OA=4rad/s and =600 for
both links.
 Problem 5/137

• For the instant when ==600,

the hydraulic cylinder gives A
a velocity VA=1.2m/s which is
increasingly by 0.9m/s each
second. For this instant
determine the angular
acceleration of link BC.
 Problem 5/146

• Motion of link ABC is controlled by the

horizontal movement of the piston rod
of the hydraulic cylinder D and by the
vertical guide for the pinned slider at B.
For the instant when =450 the piston
rod is retracting at the constant rate
vc=180mm/s. Determine the
acceleration of point A for this instant.
Instantaneous center of zero velocity
 INSTANTANEOUS CENTER OF ZERO VELOCITY

• This method provides us an alternative way for

solving problems involving the velocities of
various points of a body in plane motion.
• In this article we will solve the problem by
choosing a unique reference point that
momentarily has zero velocity.
• This technique, in particular, is graphical and
more visual, and some problems will be more
accessible this way.
• The idea behind the “instantaneous center”
approach is to ask, “Can we find a position A such
     
v
that
A
 0 so that vB v A   rB / A  rB / A
HOW DO WE FIND THE IC OF ZERO VELOCITY?:
• The position of the instantaneous center can be
defined in two ways:
 If the direction of the velocities of two particle A and B
of the body are known and if they are different, the
instantaneous center is obtained by drawing the
perpendicular to vA through A and the perpendicular to
vB through B and determining the point in which these
two lines intersect.
 
v A  rA / C
 
vB  rB / C
 If the velocities vA and vB of two particles A and B
are perpendicular to the line AB and if their
magnitudes are known, the instantaneous center
can be found by intersecting the line AB with the
line joining the extremities of the vectors v A and vB.
 If the instantaneous center C would be at an
infinite distance and  would be zero; and all points
on the body would have the same velocities.
 
v A  rA / C
 
vB  rB / C
• The instantaneous center of a body in plane
motion can be located either on the body or
outside.
• If it lies outside the body it may be visualized as
laying on the body extended.
• However, it should be noted that the instantaneous
center of rotation is valid only at a given instant.
• Thus, the particle of the body which coincides with the
instantaneous center at time t will generally not
coincide with the instantaneous center at time t+t.
• In general, the particle does not have zero acceleration.
 Problem 5/93

• For the instant represented, when crank OA

passes the horizontal position, determine the
velocity of the center G of link AB by the method
of instantaneous center of zero velocity.
 Problem 5/97

• Motion of the bar is controlled by the constrained

paths of A and B. If the angular velocity of the bar
is 2rad/s counterclockwise as the position =450
is passed, determine the velocity vA and the
magnitude of the velocity p.
 Problem 5/115

Vertical oscillation of the spring-loaded

plunger F is controlled by a periodic change
in pressure in the vertical hydraulic
cylinder E. For the position θ=600,
determine the angular velocity of AD and
the velocity of the roller A in its horizontal
guide if the plunger F has a downward
velocity of 2m/s