ON THE KINEMATICS OF A PLANE.
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through 0 draw at right angles to this a line meeting the same circle in B, then,
as before, the points A and B move along the fixed lines OA 0 , OB 0 ; or as regards
the relative motion, taking A, B as fixed points, we have the originally fixed plane
now moving in such wise that the two lines OA 0 , OB 0 thereof (at right angles to
each other) pass always through the points A and B respectively, and the curve is
that described by the point S on the line OA ; the point 0 describes the circle on
the diameter AB (the small circle), equation r x = 2c cos B x ; and OQ having a given
constant value = y, we have for the curve described by the point S the foregoing
equation r x = 2c cos 6 1 — y; or writing y = —f that is, taking S on the other side of
0 at a distance OS = /, the equation is r x = 2c cos 0 X 4- /; viz. this is a nodal Cartesian
or Limaçon, the origin being an acnode or a crunode according as f> or < 2c ; and
if /= 2c, then we have the cuspidal curve or cardioid tç = 2c (1 + cos tfj), = 4ccos 2 £0 1 .
The general conclusion is that the centre 0 of the large circle describes on the
moving plane a small circle (centre O x ), and that every other point of the fixed plane
describes on the moving plane a Limaçon having for its node a point of the small
circle, and being, in fact, the curve obtained by measuring off along the radius vector
of the small circle from its extremity a constant distance.
Considering in connexion with the point, coordinates (x 1} y x ), (x, y), a second
point, coordinates (Zj, Y x ), (X, Y), in regard to the two sets of axes respectively,
we have
x — (c + x x )cos 6 — y-i sin 0, X = (c + X x ) cos d—Y 1 sin 0,
y = (c — x x ) sin 0 — y x cos 6, Y = (c — Xj) sin 0 — Y x cos 0 ;
from the first two equations we have
cos 0 : sin 0 : 1 = x (c - x x ) + yy x : xy x + y{c + x x ) : c- - x{- - y? ;
and substituting these values in the second set, we find
X : Y : 1
= x {c 2 •+■ c (X x — x x ) — X x x x — Y x y^\ + y { c (y x — Y x ) + y 1 X 1 — x x F x }
: x { c (3/1 — F].) — y x X x + x x Fi} + y {c 2 — c (X x — x x ) — X x x x — Y x y^
: c 2 - a?! 2 - 2/1 2 ;
or the points (x, y), (X, F), considered as each of them moving on the fixed plane,
are homographically related to each other.
To find the curve enveloped on the fixed plane by a given curve of the moving
plane, we have only in the equation f(x 1} y 1 ) = 0 of the curve in the moving plane
to substitute for x 1} y x their values in terms of x, y, 0, and then considering 0 as
a variable parameter, to find the envelope of the curve represented by this equation.
And, similarly, we find the curve enveloped on the moving plane by a given curve
of the fixed plane.