What Are the Higher Moments of Force and Their Role in Particle Motion?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of higher moments of force in relation to particle motion, specifically addressing their relevance beyond the first moment, or torque. It establishes that while Newton's laws effectively describe translation and rotation through force and torque, higher moments, such as the second moment of force, primarily relate to the deformation of objects rather than their motion. The consensus is that for rigid bodies, these higher moments are largely irrelevant. Participants seek further literature to deepen their understanding of this topic.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with the concept of torque
  • Basic knowledge of rigid body mechanics
  • Awareness of deformation in materials
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the mathematical formulation of higher moments of force
  • Explore literature on rigid body dynamics and deformation
  • Study the implications of higher moments in material science
  • Investigate applications of torque in engineering mechanics
USEFUL FOR

Physicists, mechanical engineers, and students studying dynamics and material properties will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the implications of higher moments of force in particle motion and rigid body mechanics.

Heirot
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Thinking about Newton's laws, one can see that they concern the force and the torque (the first moment of the force) acting on a particle. That is enough to describe translation and rotation. But, is there something more to this? What about second and higher moment of the force? Is there any obvious reason they don't have any physical meaning?
 
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They would compress/stretch the object. If you assume rigid objects, they are irrelevant.
 
Well that sounds plausible. Thanks for the answer. Can you refer me to the relevant literature?
 

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