Paper 2, Section I, A

Classical Dynamics
Part II, 2014

The components of the angular velocity ω\omega of a rigid body and of the position vector r\mathbf{r} are given in a body frame.

(a) The kinetic energy of the rigid body is defined as

T=12d3rρ(r)r˙r˙T=\frac{1}{2} \int d^{3} \mathbf{r} \rho(\mathbf{r}) \dot{\mathbf{r}} \cdot \dot{\mathbf{r}}

Given that the centre of mass is at rest, show that TT can be written in the form

T=12Iabωaωb,T=\frac{1}{2} I_{a b} \omega_{a} \omega_{b},

where the explicit form of the tensor IabI_{a b} should be determined.

(b) Explain what is meant by the principal moments of inertia.

(c) Consider a rigid body with principal moments of inertia I1,I2I_{1}, I_{2} and I3I_{3}, which are all unequal. Derive Euler's equations of torque-free motion

I1ω˙1=(I2I3)ω2ω3I2ω˙2=(I3I1)ω3ω1I3ω˙3=(I1I2)ω1ω2\begin{aligned} &I_{1} \dot{\omega}_{1}=\left(I_{2}-I_{3}\right) \omega_{2} \omega_{3} \\ &I_{2} \dot{\omega}_{2}=\left(I_{3}-I_{1}\right) \omega_{3} \omega_{1} \\ &I_{3} \dot{\omega}_{3}=\left(I_{1}-I_{2}\right) \omega_{1} \omega_{2} \end{aligned}

(d) The body rotates about the principal axis with moment of inertia I1I_{1}. Derive the condition for stable rotation.