[Physics] Axis of rotation and Euler’s theorem in rigid body dynamics

classical-mechanicsnewtonian-mechanicsrigid-body-dynamicsrotationrotational-dynamics

Euler's theorem of Rotation for rigid body states that

In three-dimensional space, any displacement of a rigid body such that a point on the rigid body remains fixed, is equivalent to a single rotation about some axis that runs through the fixed point.

Intuitively, the axis of rotation can change from $\hat{\textbf{n}}$ to $\hat{\textbf{n}}^\prime$ from one instant $t$ to the next $t^\prime$ in a continuous manner. But the motion need not be such that there is a finite time during which the system maintains a fixed axis. How is it then meaningful to talk about the axis of rotation at a given instant?

Best Answer

The theorem does not say that the actual axis of rotation is fixed. It says that the final configuration can be obtained by a rotation about a single axis. For instance, think about a sphere with its center fixed. Imagine the most general finite motion of this sphere. It will be a composition of many small rotations about different axis. Equivalently, the final configuration can be obtained by a single finite rotation about a fixed axis through its center. This was expected if we recall that rotations form a group. Thus the composition of several rotations is equal to a single rotation.