This is a dynamics textbook for graduate students, written at a moderately advanced level. Its principal aim is to present the dynamics of particles and rigid bodies in some breadth, with examples illustrating the strengths and weaknesses of the various methods of dynamical analysis. The scope of the dynamical theory includes both vectorial and analytical methods. There is some emphasis on systems of great generality, that is, systems which may have nonholonomic constraints and whose motion may be expressed in terms of quasi-velocities. Geometrical approaches such as the use of surfaces in n-dimensional configuration and velocity spaces are used to illustrate the nature of holonomic and nonholonomic constraints. Impulsive response methods are discussed at some length.

Some of the material presented here was originally included in a graduate course in computational dynamics at the University of Michigan. The ordering of the chapters, with the chapters on dynamical theory presented first followed by the single chapter on numerical methods, is such that the degree of emphasis one chooses to place on the latter is optional. Numerical computation methods may be introduced at any point, or may be omitted entirely.

The first chapter presents in some detail the familiar principles of Newtonian or vectorial dynamics, including discussions of constraints, virtual work, and the use of energy and momentum principles. There is also an introduction to less familiar topics such as differential forms, integrability, and the basic theory of impulsive response.