203 Impulsive motion
Now we can use the general equation
u
j
=
n
i=1
Y
ji
ˆ
Q
i
(3.404)
and note that
ˆ
Q
1
=
ˆ
F
1
,
ˆ
Q
2
=
ˆ
Q
3
= 0 (3.405)
Here
ˆ
Q
2
is equal to zero because no external impulse is applied at B in the u
2
direction.
The constraint impulses at B are internal to the complete system.
From the first column of Y and (3.404), we obtain
u
1
=
7
ˆ
F
1
2m
,u
2
=−
ˆ
F
1
m
,u
3
=
ˆ
F
1
2m
(3.406)
in agreement with our previous results.
The second method appears to be simpler, but it involves the inversion of a larger ma-
trix. The second method avoids calculating constraint impulses, but they are thereby not
directly available. Thus, the choice of method depends upon the nature of the desired
results.
Example 3.11 As an example of reciprocity, let us consider the angular impulse response
of a rigid body. Let xyz be a principal axis system at the center of mass of the body. Suppose
an angular impulse
ˆ
M is applied about an arbitrary 1-axis which passes through the center
of mass. We wish to find the change ω
2
in the angular velocity component about a second
arbitrary 2-axis through the center of mass.
Let (c
1x
, c
1y
, c
1z
) be the direction cosines of the positive 1-axis relative to the xyz frame.
Similarly, let (c
2x
, c
2y
, c
2z
) specify the direction of the positive 2-axis. The response com-
ponents in the body-fixed Cartesian frame are
ω
x
=
c
1x
ˆ
M
I
xx
,ω
y
=
c
1y
ˆ
M
I
yy
,ω
z
=
c
1z
ˆ
M
I
zz
(3.407)
Now take the component of ω in the direction of the positive 2-axis. We obtain
ω
2
= c
2x
ω
x
+ c
2y
ω
y
+ c
2z
ω
z
=
c
1x
c
2x
I
xx
+
c
1y
c
2y
I
yy
+
c
1z
c
2z
I
zz
ˆ
M (3.408)
This is the angular velocity about the 2-axis due to an angular impulse
ˆ
M about the 1-axis.
If, on the other hand, we wish to find the response ω
1
about the 1-axis due to an angular
impulse
ˆ
M about the 2-axis, we merely interchange the 1 and 2 subscripts in (3.407) and
(3.408). But this leaves the right-hand side of (3.408) unchanged. Hence,
ω
1
= ω
2
(3.409)