Need a definition of Translation

[Rob K]

Hi there,

Having a little difficulty. I have to revise Translation and rotation of a rigid body. But I don't know what is meant by translation of a rigid body. Rotation is obvious.

I am guessing that it is the movement of a rigid body from one place to another. The best way I can explain what I think it is in the simplest form is if you have a spanner on a table, and you slide it from one side of the table to the other keeping the same orientation?

Kind regards

Rob

 

[Doc Al]

The best way I can explain what I think it is in the simplest form is if you have a spanner on a table, and you slide it from one side of the table to the other keeping the same orientation?

Sounds good to me.

There's even a wiki page on this: Translation (physics)

It's often useful to describe the motion of a rigid body as a translation of its center of mass plus a rotation about its center of mass.

 

[Rob K]

Thank you Doc Al, I wish I could have found that.

Some things seem so obvious and are second nature if you did a physics or Maths A level which I didn't, Unfortunately they let me onto my degree on personality and enthusiasm for learning.

Kind regards

Rob