www.ktuweb.

com

Module 5

RECTANGULAR COORDINATES

In rectangular co-ordinates the position of a particle at any time in space is specified by its
distances from three mutually perpendicular planes, XY, YZ and ZX planes.

In the above figure, the rectangular co-ordinates of point P are x y and z.

The position vector of point P with respect to the origin O is:
⃗ = ⃗ + ⃗ + ⃗ , where ⃗, ⃗, ⃗ are the unit vectors along the X, Y and Z axes respectively.

The distance of P from O,

= + +
The velocity of a moving particle is given by the rate of change of position vector at the given
instant.
( ⃗)
Velocity, ⃗ = = ( ⃗ + ⃗ + ⃗)
= ⃗+ ⃗+ ⃗

= ⃗+ ⃗+ ⃗
The magnitude of velocity,
= + +
The direction of velocity is always along the tangent to the path of motion.

The acceleration of a moving particle is given by the rate of change of velocity.

( ⃗)
Acceleration, ⃗ = = ( ⃗ + ⃗ + ⃗)
= ⃗+ ⃗+ ⃗

= ⃗+ ⃗+ ⃗
The magnitude of acceleration,
= + +

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 1

 www.ktuweb.com

CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES

Consider a curve in the XY plane. P is a point on the curve. The position of P is defined by its
distance OP from the origin and angle θ that OP makes with X axis. Thus the plane polar
coordinates of point P are r and θ.

Let ⃗ be the unit vector along the radial direction and ⃗ be the unit vector along the
transverse direction as shown in the figure below:

⃗ = (1 × cos ⃗) + (1 × sin ⃗)
= cos ⃗ + sin ⃗ (1)

⃗ = (−1 × sin ⃗) + (1 × cos ⃗)

= − sin ⃗ + cos ⃗ (2)

Differentiating (1) and (2) w.r.t θ

⃗ = (cos ⃗ + sin ⃗)
= − sin ⃗ + cos ⃗
= ⃗ (3)

⃗ = (− sin ⃗ + cos ⃗)
= − cos ⃗ − sin ⃗
= −(cos ⃗ + sin ⃗)
=− ⃗ (4)

The position vector of point P,

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 2

 www.ktuweb.com

⃗ = × ⃗
Differentiating w.r.t time,
( ⃗)
= ⃗ = ( × ⃗)

= × ⃗+ ⃗
⃗
= ̇ ⃗+ × ×
= ̇ ⃗+ × ⃗× ̇
= ̇ ⃗+ ̇ ⃗ (5)

Radial component of velocity = ̇

Tangential component of velocity = ̇= , where ω is the angular velocity.

Differentiating (5) w.r.t time,

( ⃗)
= ⃗= ̇ ⃗+ ̇ ⃗
⃗ ⃗
= ̈ ⃗+ ̇ + ̇ ̇ ⃗+ ̈ ⃗+ ̇

⃗ ⃗
= ̈ ⃗+ ̇ × + ̇ ̇ ⃗+ ̈ ⃗+ ̇ ×
= ̈ ⃗+ ̇ ⃗ ̇+ ̇ ̇ ⃗+ ̈ ⃗+ ̇ (− ⃗) ̇
= ̈ ⃗+ ̇ ̇ ⃗+ ̇ ̇ ⃗+ ̈ ⃗− ̇ ⃗
= ̈− ̇ ⃗ + ( ̇ ̇ + ̇ ̇ + ̈) ⃗
= ̈− ̇ ⃗ + (2 ̇ ̇ + ̈ ) ⃗ (6)

Radial component of acceleration = ̈− ̇

Tangential component of acceleration = 2 ̇ ̇ + ̈

Note:
When a particle moves along a circular path of radius , ̇ and ̈ are zero. In this case radial
component of acceleration which is also called centripetal component of acceleration is
− ̇ =− . The negative sign shows that this component is always directed towards the
centre of rotation. The tangential component of acceleration at 2 ̇ ̇ + ̈ reduces to ̈ = .
Where ̈ = is the angular acceleration of the point.

Plane polar co-ordinates ( , ) are used when the motion of the particle is in a single plane. If
the motion is along a space path, cylindrical co-ordinates are to be used. The cylindrical co-
ordinates of a point in space are ( , , ). Using the cylindrical co-ordinates, the position
vector of the particle P, ⃗ = ⃗ + ⃗ , where ⃗ is the unit vector along the Z axis.

Position vector : ⃗ = ⃗ + ⃗
Velocity : ⃗ = ̇ ⃗+ ̇ ⃗
Acceleration :⃗ = ̈− ̇ ⃗ + (2 ̇ ̇ + ̈) ⃗

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 3

 www.ktuweb.com

Radial component of acceleration = ̈− ̇ ⃗

Tangential component of acceleration = 2 ̇ ̇ + ̈ ⃗

COMBINED MOTION OF TRANSLATION AND ROTATION

A motion is said to be in rotation when the particles of a body move along concentric circles.
A motion is said to be translation if any straight line drawn on the body keeps the same
direction during the motion. In translation all the particles forming the body move along
parallel paths. If these paths are straight lines, the motion is said to be a rectilinear translation,
if the paths are curved lines, the motion is a curvilinear translation. Any plane motion which
is neither a translation nor a rotation is referred to as a general plane motion. Rolling, without
slipping, is an example of plane motion.

Translation Rotation

For the analysis of general plane motion, it is convenient to split the motion into translation
and pure motion of rotation. The analysis for these two cases is carried out separately and
then combined to get the final position of rotation and translation.
When a wheel of radius r rolls without slipping along a horizontal straight path, as shown in
the following figure, the linear distance AB will be equal to the angular distance AB.

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 4

 www.ktuweb.com

Linear distance AB =Angular distance AB

Sc = rθ
Velocity of C,

= = =
Acceleration of C,
( )
= = = =

Consider the plane motion of a body AB from A1B1 to A2B2 as shown in the figure below.
This displacement can be considered to be the sum of a translation from , to and
rotation about from to The displacement of B, is the vector sum of
and .

= +
= + ×
= + ×

Velocity of B,

= ( )

= ( )+ ( × )
= + ×

When = 0, = , motion of translation.

When = 0, = × = , motion of translation.
Direction of is perpendicular to AB.

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 5

 www.ktuweb.com

= +
Velocity of any point in a body is the vector sum of velocity of another point in the body and
the velocity of the first point relative to the second point.

CONCEPT OF INSTANTANEOUS CENTRE

The motion of rotation and translation of a body, at a given instant, can be considered as that
of pure rotation of the body about a point. This point about which the body can be assumed to
be rotating at the given instant is called instantaneous centre of rotation. Since the velocity of
this point at the given instant is zero, this point is also called instantaneous centre of zero
velocity. This point is not a fixed point, and when the body changes its position, the position
of instantaneous centre also changes. The locus of the instantaneous centre as the body goes
on changing its position is called centrode.

Consider the plane motion of a body AB from to . This plane motion can be
considered as pure rotation of body about the point I, the instantaneous centre of rotation,
which is the point of intersection of perpendicular bisectors of and Since I is on
the perpendicular bisector of , = . Similarly = . Since = =
, the triangles and are congruent. Hence the motion of from to
is pure rotation of triangle about I. Hence at the given instant rotates about
I. Since rotates about I, the magnitude of velocity of is × , and that of , is
× .
The direction of velocity of points , and are perpendicular to and , respectively.

Properties of Instantaneous centre:

1) The magnitude of velocity of any point on a body is proportional to its distance from
the instantaneous centre and is equal to the angular velocity times the distance.
2) The direction of velocity of any point on a body is perpendicular to the line joining
that point and the instantaneous centre.

These properties can be used to locate the instantaneous centre of a body.

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 6

 www.ktuweb.com

Case 1: When the direction of velocities of any two points on the body are known

In this case the point of intersection of lines drawn perpendicular to the direction of velocities
will be the instantaneous centre.

Case 2: When the direction of velocities are parallel and magnitudes are unequal

In this case the point of intersection of the line joining the tip of velocity vectors and either
the line joining the points or extension of the line joining the points will be the instantaneous
centre.

MOTION OF CONNECTING ROD, PISTON AND CRANK OF A RECIPROCATING

PUMP

The figure shows the mechanism of a reciprocating pump. is the crank which rotates
about with a uniform angular velocity. is the connecting rod. The motion of is
BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 7
 www.ktuweb.com

governed by the crank and hence the motion of end of connecting rod is pure rotation.
The motion of end is governed by the piston whose motion is to and fro motion.
Hence the motion of the end B of the connecting rod is rectilinear. The motion of all the point
in between and is a combined motion of rotation and translation. The direction of
velocity of point of the connecting.rod is tangential to the circle drawn with as radius.
The direction of motion of the other end of the connecting rod is horizontal. By drawing
lines perpendicular to these direction of velocities, the instantaneous centre of connecting rod
can be located. The point in the figure is the instantaneous centre of connecting rod .
The velocity of point , which is × is also equal to × .

RECTILINEAR TRANSLATION

The motion of a body is said to be translation if any straight line drawn on the body keeps the
same direction during the motion. In translation motion all the particles forming the body
move along parallel paths. If these paths are straight lines, the motion is said to be rectilinear
translation. A translation motion is governed by Newton's second Jaw.

Newton's second law:

According to Newton's second law the rate of change of momentum is directly proportional
to the impressed force and the motion takes place in the direction in which the force acts. The
above statement leads to statement that force is directly proportional to the product of mass
and acceleration. The unit of force is so selected that the constant of proportionality reduces
to unity. Thus the Newton's law reduces to the statement,
Force = Mass × Acceleration.
= × .
When a system of forces act on a body, the above statement can be stated as, resultant force is
equal to the product of mass and acceleration in the direction of the resultant force.
Resultant Force or Net Force = Mass × Acceleration.

MOTION OF CONNECTED BODIES

Consider two bodies connected by a light inextensible string passing over a smooth pulley.
Since the pulley is smooth, the tension in the string on both sides of the pulley will be the
same. The body of greater mass moves downwards and the other mass moves upwards.
Considering the motion of each body separately and applying Newton's law of motion,
= × , the acceleration ofthe body and the tension in the string can be determined.

Force in the direction of motion should be taken as positive and force opposite to the
direction of motion should be taken as negative.

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 8

 www.ktuweb.com

D' ALEMBERT'S PRINCIPLE.

D' Alembert's principle is an application of Newton's second law to a moving body. A

problem in dynamics can be converted into a static equilibrium problem using D' Alembert's
principle. Newton's law of motion = can be written as − = 0. The term(− )
is called inertia force. According to Newton's first law of motion, a body continues to be in
the state of rest or of uniform motion in a straight line unless acted by an external force. Thus
every body has a tendency to continue in its state of rest or of uniform motion. This tendency
is called inertia. The magnitude of inertia force is equal to the product of the mass and
acceleration and it acts in a direction opposite to the direction of acceleration. = can be
written as − = 0, or + − ( ) = 0. The statement of the above equation is known
D' Alembert's principle which states that the resultant of a system of force acting on a body in
motion is in dynamic equilibrium with the inertia force.

BE 100: ENGINEERING MECHANICS Page 9