Mechanics of Particles and Rigid Bodies [Hardcover] [Jan 01, 2016] Alfredo Bacchieri

In physics, a rigid body is an idealization of a solid body in which deformation is neglected. In other words, the distance between any two given points of a rigid body remains constant in time irrespective of external forces applied on it. Even though such an object cannot physically exist due to relativity, objects can normally be assumed to be perfectly rigid if they are not moving near the speed of light. The position of a rigid body is the position of all the particles of which it is composed. To simplify the description of this position, we exploit the property that the body is rigid, namely that all its particles maintain the same distance relative to each other. If the body is rigid, it is sufficient to describe the position of at least three non-collinear particles. This book provides inclusive coverage of numerous topics in mechanics of particles and rigid bodies.