Rigid body mechanics

Rigid body mechanics is an extension of particle mechanics. In this area, it is assumed that the bodies are extended in space, not single points, and that they are rigid, or that there is not motion between any parts.

Rigid bodies, like particles, are a theoretical abstraction and there are no absolutely rigid bodies in nature. However, the assumption that they are rigid many be sufficiently close.

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This includes sections of rigid bodies and motion, rotational dynamics, static systems, and dynamic systems.

Its history has not yet been well examined. There was some progress in classical and medieval times, but most of it is modern. There was some examination of it in the 16th century, but the principal development took place with Galileo and Newton on the 17th century. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the subject was developed mathematically, and in the 20th century has been more thoroughly expounded. It may be examined in the future.

Sociology seems to be of somewhat limited use at present. Social structure and change, communities, and peoples of the world can possibly be connected. Some nations are of interest. The chief developments have taken place in Western civilization, and Asiatic peoples have joined. There are few developments in African peoples or among American Indian peoples.

Institutions including families, education, economics, government, and religion will be useful.Culture including material culture, conceptual culture, and behavioral culture will definitely be needed. Anthropology including particular groups, human geography, human ecology, physical anthropology, demography, and social foundations may be useful.

Personal studies are somewhat useful in rigid body mechanics.

Biography will be useful. Particular figures include:

• Aristotle
• Archimedes
• Galileo
• Newton

Psychology including social psychology, personality, mental disorders, developmental psychology, behavior patterns, mind, and behavioral elements will be useful.

Connections with the human body including form and appearance, life cycle, disease, body functions, and body systems principally involve applications.

Other Science

Biology including biohistory, ecology, systematics, organism biology, cell biology, and molecular biology also suggests more applications than basic principles. Earth science including geohistory, physical geography, atmospheric science, hydrospheric science, and geology seems to be minimally useful. Astronomy including cosmology, galactic astronomy, stellar astronomy has less to do with it than planetary astronomy. Chemistry including systems, changes, and substances, demonstrates applications of rigid body mechanics.

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The structure of matter can be used to describe approximate limits on rigid body mechanics. Bulk matter is connected because of solid behavior. Liquids and gases and plasma are not as well connected, and exotic matter is less well known. Molecular physics including molecular bonding, molecular structure, and molecular behavior is also connected. Atomic physics including nuclear and electronic physics is more useful than subatomic physics. Quantum mechanics seldom applies. Relativity theory, either the general theory or the special theory is not very useful. Electromagnetism is also useful. Electrostatic topics such as electric charge, electric forces and fields, flux, and capacitance may be applicable. Electric current with current definition, EMF, Resistance, DC circuits, and AC circuits is less directly useful. Magnetism including electric current elements, Current assemblies, magnetic field, forces and flux, and magnetic properties of matter is also useful. Optics including electromagnetic waves, geomatric optics, physical optics, quantum optics, and the electromagnetic spectrum seemes to be minimally useful in discussion of rigid body mechanics.

Thermodynamics including nonclassical thermodynamics, classical thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics is minimally useful.

Principles of Gravitation including nonrigid body celestial mechanics, rigid body celestial mechanics, particle celestial mechanics, and surface gravitation often appear in applied problems.

Rigid body mechanics are in some sense a simplification of general non-rigid mechanics, wave mechanics, fluid mechanics, and deformable bodies.

Rigid bodies depend heavily on particle mechanics. Rigid bodies are sometimes considered as Particle systems. simplifed systems, particle interactions, and system properties are useful. Energetics including concepts of power, energy, and work is also indispensable.

Kinetics including concepts of types and cases of force, force, momentum, and mass is indispensable.

Principles of Kinematics including types and cases of motion, acceleration, velocity, and position are routinely assumed.

When internal motions and forces, rotational motion, and size and extent can all be ignored, they can be treated as particles.