MECENG 271
Intermediate Dynamics
This course introduces and investigates Lagrange's equations of motion for particles and rigid bodies. The subject matter is particularly relevant to applications comprised of interconnected and constrained discrete mechanical components. The material is illustrated with numerous examples. These range from one-dimensional motion of a single particle to three-dimensional motions of rigid bodies and systems of rigid bodies.
Topics
- Introduce students to the notion of exploiting differential geometry to gain insight into the dynamics of a mechanical system. Familiarize the student with classifications and applications of generalized forces and kinematical constraints. Enable the student to establish Lagrange's equations of motion for a single particle, a system of particles and a single rigid body. Establish equivalence of equations of motion using the Lagrange and Newton-Euler approaches. Discuss the developments of analytical mechanics drawing from applications in navigation, vehicle dynamics, toys, gyroscopes, celestial mechanics, satellite dynamics and computer animation.
Official catalogue course objectives and student learning outcomes
Prerequisites & course information
{'preRequisiteCourse': '1154901', 'concurrentPrerequisit': False}
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026-2027