kinematiken

Kinematiken, in German-language usage usually referred to as Kinematik, is a branch of classical mechanics that describes the motion of bodies without reference to the forces or torques that cause it. It analyzes quantities such as position, displacement, velocity, acceleration, and time, typically within a chosen frame of reference. The subject uses mathematical models to relate these quantities through kinematic equations, graphs, and geometric descriptions.

It covers one-, two-, and three-dimensional motion, including straight-line motion, curvilinear paths, projectile motion, and rotational or angular motion. In rotational kinematics one uses angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration, and relationships to linear quantities via the radius or moment of inertia. Relative motion, transformations between frames, and the decomposition of motion into components are also central topics. Common assumptions include constant acceleration or small time steps, enabling closed-form formulas or parametric representations. The field underpins simulations, robotics, computer animation, biomechanics, and many branches of engineering, where the focus is on predicting trajectories and outcomes given initial conditions and constraints rather than on determining the forces involved.

Historically, kinematics emerged from early observations of motion by Galileo and others, with formal development in the classical period as part of mechanics. In modern contexts, Kinematiken is often presented as the study of motion independent from dynamics, while the broader term spans elementary physics pedagogy and specialized disciplines such as relativistic kinematics in high-energy physics.