Kinetics of Rigid Bodies

This course covers the fundamental principles of kinetics, with a special focus on the action of forces on rigid bodies. It starts with a comprehensive review of Newton's second law, illustrating how force triggers acceleration and the role mass plays in this equation. The course then delves into the laws of motion that govern plane kinetics of rigid bodies, including the application of Euler's Laws of motion. For instance, it uses the example of a block subjected to various forces to demonstrate how to draw a free body diagram, calculate the acceleration of the center of mass, and determine the location of the normal force. The course also explores the additional degrees of freedom that a rigid body possesses, such as the ability to rotate, and how this impacts the laws of motion. It concludes with an explanation of the conservation of angular momentum and how moments are calculated. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of coupled bodies and the concept of friction in rolling motion.