List of equations in classical mechanics

This page gives a summary of important equations in classical mechanics.

Table of contents

1 Nomenclature
2 Defining Equations

2.1 Center of Mass
2.2 Velocity
2.3 Acceleration
2.4 Momentum
2.5 Force
2.6 Impulse
2.7 Moment of Intertia
2.8 Angular Momentum
2.9 Torque
2.10 Precession
2.11 Energy
2.12 Central Force Motion

3 Useful derived equations

3.13 Position of an accelerating body
3.14 Equation for velocity

Nomenclature

a = acceleration (m/s²)

F = force (N = kg m/s²)

KE = kinetic energy (J = kg m²/s²)

m = mass (kg)

p = momentum (kg m/s)

s = position (m)

t = time (s)

v = velocity (m/s)

v₀ = velocity at time t=0

W = work (J = kg m²/s²)

s(t) = position at time t

s₀ = position at time t=0

r_unit = unit vector pointing from the origin in polar coordinates

θ_unit = unit vector pointing in the direction of increasing values of theta in polor coordinates

Note: All quantities in bold represent vectors.

Defining Equations

Center of Mass

In the discrete case:

where is the number of mass particles.

Or in the continuous case:

where ρ(s) is the scalar mass density as a function of the position vector.

Velocity

Acceleration

a_average = Δv/Δt

a = dv/dt = d²s/dt²

Centripetal Acceleration

|a_c| = ω²R = v² / R (R = radius of the circle, ω = v/R [angular velocity])

Moment of Intertia

For a single axis of rotation:

Angular Momentum

|L| = mvr iff v is perpendicular to r

Vector form:

L = r×p = Iω

(Note: I can be treated like a vector if it is diagonalized first, but it is actually a 3×3 matrix)

r is the radius vector

Torque

∑τ = dL/dt

∑τ = r×F

if |r| and the sine of the angle between r and p remains constant.

∑τ = Iα

This one is very limited, more added later. α = dω/dt

Precession

Energy

ΔKE = ∫F_net·ds

KE = ∫v·dp = 1/2 mv² if m is constant

PE_{due to gravity} = mgh (near the earth's surface)

g is the acceleration due to gravity, one the physical constants.

Central Force Motion

Useful derived equations

Position of an accelerating body

s(t) = 1/2at² + v₀t + s₀ if a is constant.

Equation for velocity

v²=v₀² + 2a·Δs