MAAE 2101Rigid-Body Dynamics
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MAAE 2101Second-year mechanical and aerospace

Rigid-Body Dynamics

Interactive modules for the rigid-body dynamics of MAAE 2101: mass moments of inertia and the inertia tensor, then angular momentum, impact, Euler's equations and gyroscopic motion, with 3D figures you can turn and live simulations.

Start with Mass Moments of Inertia See all the modules
  • 2 modules
  • 16 lessons
  • About 9 hours of study
A disk mounted skewed on an axle and spinning with it. The angular velocity arrow lies along the axle; the angular momentum arrow points in a different direction, because the axle is not a principal axis of the disk.axleωH
angular velocity ω, along the axleangular momentum H = [I]ω

The modules

Each module is a complete unit: short lessons, then a Practice Lab, a self-check quiz, a printable worksheet, an interactive tool, a formula sheet and a glossary. Take them in the order shown; the second builds on the first.

Modules

Open in your browser, or download for offline use

Moments of inertia by integration, the parallel-axis theorem and composite bodies, then products of inertia, the inertia tensor, the moment of inertia about any axis, and principal axes, with 3D figures you can turn.

  • 8 lessons
  • About 4.5 hours
  • Inertia Explorer

Lessons
  1. 1Why Mass Moments of Inertia?25 min
  2. 2Moments of Inertia by Integration35 min
  3. 3The Parallel-Axis Theorem30 min
  4. 4Composite Bodies35 min
  5. 5Products of Inertia35 min
  6. 6The Inertia Tensor and Angular Momentum35 min
  7. 7Moment of Inertia About Any Axis30 min
  8. 8Principal Axes and Principal Moments40 min

Practice Lab · Self-Check Quiz · Worksheet · Inertia Explorer · Formula Sheet · Glossary

Open the module Download for offline use (0.9 MB)

Module 2

Angular Momentum

From the angular momentum of a particle to systems of particles and rigid bodies: angular impulse, impact, angular momentum in three dimensions, Euler's equations and gyroscopic motion, with live simulations.

  • 8 lessons
  • About 4.5 hours
  • Spin Lab

Lessons
  1. 1Angular Momentum of a Particle30 min
  2. 2Angular Impulse and Momentum35 min
  3. 3Systems of Particles30 min
  4. 4Rigid Bodies in Plane Motion35 min
  5. 5Impulse, Momentum and Impact of Rigid Bodies40 min
  6. 6Angular Momentum in Three Dimensions35 min
  7. 7Euler's Equations of Motion35 min
  8. 8Gyroscopic Motion40 min

Practice Lab · Self-Check Quiz · Worksheet · Spin Lab · Formula Sheet · Glossary

Open the module Download for offline use (0.9 MB)

Using the modules

Nothing to install and no account to create.

In your browser

  • Open a module above and start with Lesson 1, or jump to any lesson from its list.
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Offline

Each download is a small zip of the whole module.

  1. Download the zip and extract it (Windows: right-click › Extract All; macOS: double-click).
  2. Open the extracted folder and double-click index.html.

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