About the Book

The present textbook comprises a course in theoretical mechanics together with some elements of analytical mechanics. 

The first part of the book is devoted to statics of a rigid body. The study of the equilibrium of a body under the action of an arbitrary system of forces is preceded by a separate presentation of the case of a plane system of forces. For the latter system the equilibrium involving friction forces and the determination of internal forces in the bars of trusses are considered in detail (Chap. 4). 

In the second part of the book (Kinematics) the major role is played by Chap. 9 (General Case of Motion of a Free Rigid Body). This chapter is based on Euler's theorem on instantaneous motion 

characterized by the velocity field of the particles of a body at each given instant. However, since this general approach may seem too complicated, in Chap. 10 where the plane motion is studied, 

besides references to Euler’s theorem, the proofs independent of that theorem are also given. 

In the third part of the book (Dynamics) Chap. 19 (General Principles of Dynamics of a System of Particles) is the central one. In this chapter we employ the teaching methods of the university courses by N. E. Joukowski, S. A. Chaplygin and N. G. Chetayev. Their approach based on the D’Alembert—Lagrange general equation of dynamics makes it possible not to introduce the reactions of ideal constraints and provides a general method of solving problems: the determination of virtual displacements and the first integrals corresponding to them. However, in the Appendix a more traditional derivation of the general principles is also given. 

The book includes some optional material: stability of equilibrium and small vibrations (Chap. 20), advanced topics in dynamics of a rigid body (Chap. 22), the theory of impact and the theory of 

motion of a body with variable mass (Chap. 23), the motion of a particle in a field of central force and the trajectories of the Earth’s artificial satellites (Chap. 24), and a detailed representation of mechanics of a flexible inextensible thread (Chap. 25) concluding the book. 

The book contains more than 200 problems; for 120 of them detailed solutions and for the rest hints and answers are given. This enables the reader to use the book both for studying the theory and for problem-solving practice. 

The textbook is intended for engineering students and can be used for studying under the guidance of a teacher as well as for self- instruction.