Chapter 10: Problem 38
Suppose that you have found three independent principal axes (directions \(\mathbf{e}_{1}, \mathbf{e}_{2}, \mathbf{e}_{3}\) ) and corresponding principal moments \(\lambda_{1}, \lambda_{2}, \lambda_{3}\) of a rigid body whose moment of inertia tensor \(\mathbf{I}\) (not diagonal) you had calculated. (You may assume, what is actually fairly easy to prove, that all of the quantities concerned are real.) (a) Prove that if \(\lambda_{i} \neq \lambda_{j}\) then it is automatically the case that \(\mathbf{e}_{i} \cdot \mathbf{e}_{j}=0\) (It may help to introduce a notation that distinguishes between vectors and matrices. For example, you could use an underline to indicate a matrix, so that \(\underline{\mathbf{a}}\) is the \(3 \times 1\) matrix that represents the vector a, and the vector scalar product a \(\cdot \mathbf{b}\) is the same as the matrix product \(\tilde{\mathbf{a}} \mathbf{b}\) or \(\underline{\mathbf{b}}\) a. Then consider the number \(\tilde{\mathbf{e}}_{i} \mathbf{I} \mathbf{e}_{j},\) which can be evaluated in two ways using the fact that both \(\mathbf{e}_{i}\) and \(\mathbf{e}_{j}\) are eigenvectors of I.) (b) Use the result of part (a) to show that if the three principal moments are all different, then the directions of three principal axes are uniquely determined. (c) Prove that if two of the principal moments are equal, \(\lambda_{1}=\lambda_{2}\) say, then any direction in the plane of \(\mathbf{e}_{1}\) and \(\mathbf{e}_{2}\) is also a principal axis with the same principal moment. In other words, when \(\lambda_{1}=\lambda_{2}\) the corresponding principal axes are not uniquely determined. (d) Prove that if all three principal moments are equal, then any axis is a principal axis with the same principal moment.
Short Answer
Step by step solution
Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.