These pages aim to give enough physics information to allow physical objects to be simulated by a computer program.
Overview
Overview of methods to simulate physics using analytical
and numerical methods
Kinematics
Kinematics: The study and description of motion, without regard
to its causes, including position,
orientation, velocity,
angular velocity, acceleration.
For example, we can calculate the end point of a robot arm from the angles
of all its joints. Alternatively, given the end point of the robot arm,
we could calculate the angles and settings of all its joints required to
put it there (inverse kinematics -
IK).
Dynamics
Covers the causes of motion in terms of properties like mass
and inertia. Including movement in free space,
rotation of solid
body, Inertia, Energy
and Momentum, Collision,
Impulse and Spring,
mass, damper model
Numerical methods
In some cases, especially when we are not dealing with solid
bodies we may need to use other methods such as Finite
Element Method, relaxation
methods or equations model
Table Top Physics
Gives examples and thought experiments to illustrate some
of the problems and complexities that we need to solve
Other
Other physics topics that might be involved such as Light,
Sound, Heat,
Electricity/Magnetism and
Human Animation
Algorithm
to animate solid object in computer program
This puts together the kinematics and dynamics concepts into
practical algorithms that can be used in computer programs
Physics Books
Further reading
