It is shown in this paper that all methods of dynamic analysis of mechanisms used in practice can be derived from an invariant formed from the Lagrangian equation of motion. For the dynamic analysis of mechanisms subjected to kinematic constraint conditions, the Lagrangian equations of motion are far more suitable than the Newtonian approach. Since the Lagrangian equations are tensor equations, they are valid irrespective of what kind of generalized coordinates are used. This is not so, however, when the Newtonian approach is used. It is demonstrated by a simple example that a careless use of Newtonian mechanics can lead to erroneous results.
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