20.

3 The Euler Angles 517

If Ixx 7 Izz, the angle b 6 u. In Fig. 20.15c, we show an imaginary cone of

half-angle b, called the body cone, whose axis is coincident with the z axis.
The body cone is in contact with a fixed cone, called the space cone, whose
axis is coincident with the Z axis. If the body cone rolls on the curved surface
of the space cone as the z axis precesses about the Z axis (Fig. 20.15d), the
points of the body cone lying on the straight line in Fig. 20.15b have zero ve-
Z, z
locity relative to the XYZ system. That means that the motion of the body cone
is identical to the motion of the object. The object’s motion can be visualized
by visualizing the motion of the body cone as it rolls around the outer surface
of the space cone. This motion is called direct precession.
If Ixx 6 Izz, the angle b 7 u. In this case, we must visualize the interior Y, y
surface of the body cone rolling on the fixed space cone (Fig. 20.15e). This
motion is called retrograde precession.
X, x
(a)
Arbitrary Objects
In our analysis of axially symmetric objects, we let the object move relative to Z , z!
the secondary xyz coordinate system, rotating about the z axis. As a consequence,
only two angles—the precession angle c and nutation angle u—are needed to
y!
specify the orientation of the xyz coordinate system, and this simplifies the equa-
tions of angular motion. The object must be axially symmetric about the z axis, Y
so that the moments and products of inertia will not vary as it rotates. In the case
of an arbitrary object, the moments and products of inertia will be constants
X c x!
only if the xyz coordinate system is body fixed. This means that three angles are
needed to specify the orientation of the coordinate system, and the resulting (b)
equations of angular motion are more complicated.
Definitions We begin with a reference position in which the body-fixed xyz Z , z!
y"
and primary XYZ coordinate systems are superimposed on each other
(Fig. 20.16a). First, we rotate the xyz system through the precession angle c about u
the Z axis (Fig. 20.16b) and denote it by x¿y¿z¿ in this intermediate orientation. z"
y!
Then we rotate the xyz system through the nutation angle u about the x¿ axis
(Fig. 20.16c), denoting it now by x–y–z–. We obtain the final orientation of Y
the xyz system by rotating it through the angle f about the z– axis
(Fig. 20.16d). Notice that we use one more rotation of the xyz system than in the
case of an axially symmetric object. X c x!, x"
We can obtain any orientation of the body-fixed coordinate system rela- (c)
tive to the reference coordinate system by these three rotations. We choose c and
u to obtain the desired direction of the z axis and then choose f to obtain the y
y"
desired orientation of the x and y axes.
Just as in the case of an object with rotational symmetry, we must express
z", z x
the components of the rigid body’s angular velocity in terms of the Euler angles
to obtain the equations of angular motion. Figure 20.17a shows the rotation c
from the reference orientation of the xyz system to the intermediate orientation f
x¿y¿z¿. We represent the angular velocity of #the body-fixed coordinate system
due to the rate of change of c by the vector c pointing in the z¿ direction. Fig-
x"
ure 20.17b shows the next rotation u that takes the body-fixed coordinate sys-
tem to the intermediate orientation x–y–z–.# We represent the angular velocity
due to the rate of change of u by the vector u pointing in the x– direction.# In this (d)
figure, we also show the components of the angular velocity vector c in the Figure 20.16
y– and z– directions. Figure 20.17c shows the third rotation f that takes the (a) The reference position.
body-fixed coordinate system to its final orientation defined by the three Euler (b) The rotation c about the Z axis.
angles. We
# represent the angular velocity due to the rate of change of f by the (c) The rotation u about the x¿ axis.
vector f pointing in the z direction. (d) The rotation f about the z– axis.
522 Chapter 20 Three-Dimensional Kinematics and Dynamics of Rigid Bodies

Space and Body Cones

Z
A way to visualize moment-free Z Space
steady precession. The space Space u cone
u cone
cone is fixed in space. The body
cone rolls on the surface of the z
y z
b
space cone. The precessing
object undergoes the same f
b
motion as the body cone. The
Body
angle b is related to the nutation
Y cone
angle by
Izz
tan b # ! "
Ixx
tan u. Body
cone
c x

X
Z
z
u Space
b cone
y
If b $ u, the interior surface of
the body cone rolls on the
exterior surface of the space
cone.
Y
Body
cone
c x

Euler Angles for an Arbitrary Object

Z, z Z , z!

y!

Y, y Y

The xyz coordinate system is body

fixed and aligned with the primary X, x X c x!
XYZ coordinate system in the initial
(a) (b)
orientation (a). The precession
angle c is a rotation of the object
about the Z axis (b). The nutation Z , z! y
y" y"
angle u is a rotation of the object
about the x¿ axis (c). The spin angle
z", z x
f is a rotation of the object about u
the z– axis (d). z"
y!
f
Y

x"
X c x!, x"

(c) (d)