Linear Motion of a System of Particles The linear momentum of a system subject to no net ex- ternal force is conserved.
Fext P˙
P MR˙ Fext MR¨
Centre of Mass ∑N m r 1 N
¡ i i
i 1
R ∑miri ¢
∑N m M ¡
i ¡ 1 i i 1
P MR˙ Fext MR¨ £ ρ ri R i
Kinetic Energy
1 £ T MR˙ 2 T 2 CM 2
Angular Motion of a System of Particles
¤ Angular equation of motion for each particle i is
d ¦
¥ §©¨ r ¥ F r p i i dt i i
¤ Total angular momentum of the system and total torque are:
N N
τ ¥
L ∑ ri ¥ pi and ∑ ri Fi ¡ i ¡ 1 i 1
¤ Split total force into external and internal parts, same for total torque:
N N £
τ ext ¥
∑ ri ¥ Fi ∑ri ∑Fi j
¡ ¡ ¡
i 1 i 1 j i £
τext τint ¨ 3
¤ Use Newton’s third law (like linear motion case):
¦
£ £ £
τint §
r1 ¥ F12 F13 F1N
¦
£ £ £ £ £ §
r2 ¥ F21 F23 F2N
¦ ¦
£
§©¨ r1 r2 §¥ F12 other pairs
¤ Assume internal forces act along the lines joining
¦
particle pairs, hence ri r j §¥ Fi j 0: i.e.,
τint
0 for central internal forces ¨
¤ Obtain:
N d N
ext
¥ ¢ ∑ r ¥ F ∑ r p
i i dt i i ¡ i ¡ 1 i 1 i.e.,
τext ˙
L ¨
¤ Result applies when using coordinates in inertial frame (where Newton’s laws apply).
¤ Used both Newton’s third law and the condition that the forces between particles were central. 4
Angular Motion About the Centre of Mass
¤ Total angular momentum using the centre of mass (CM) coordinates:
N N
¦ ¦
£ £
ρ ˙ ρ˙
§¥ §
L ∑ri ¥ mir˙i ∑ R i mi R i ¡ i ¡ 1 i 1
N N £
˙ ρ˙ ¥
∑R ¥ miR ∑R mi i ¡ i ¡ 1 i 1
N N £
£ ρ ˙ ρ ρ˙
¥ ¨
∑ i ¥ miR ∑ i mi i ¡
i ¡ 1 i 1 ¤ ρ Second and third terms on the RHS vanish (∑mi i
ρ 0 and ∑mi ˙ i 0 from CM definition):
N £
˙ ρ ρ˙
¥ ¢ L R ¥ MR ∑ i mi i
i ¡ 1
write as, £
˙ ¨ L R ¥ MR LCM
1. First term from CM motion relative to origin (orbital angular momentum): frame dipendent.
2. Second term from angular motion relative to CM (e.g., spinning planet orbiting around the Sun): same in all (inertial) frames and intrin- sic (or spin) angular momentum. 5
¤ Take time derivative of the last equation:
dLCM dL
¨ τext ext
¥ R ¥ MR R F dt dt N N
ext ext
¥
∑ri ¥ Fi ∑ R Fi ¡ i ¡ 1 i 1
N ¦
ext ∑ ri R §¥ Fi
i ¡ 1
N
ρ ext τext ¨ ∑ i ¥ Fi CM
i ¡ 1
¤ Find:
τext ˙ τext ˙ L and CM LCM ¨
¤ Can take moments either about origin of inertial frame or CM.
¤ Rationale:
The angular momentum of a system subject to no external torque is constant.