Introduction

In earlier chapters, we treated objects either as particles or as systems of particles. However, many real objects have finite size and shape, and their internal structure affects their motion.

Such objects are called rigid bodies.

A rigid body is an idealized object in which:

• The distance between any two points remains constant
• The shape does not change under applied forces

Rigid body dynamics studies both:

• Translational motion (motion of the center of mass)
• Rotational motion (motion about an axis)