View source for Degrees of freedom

In [[classical mechanics|mechanics]], the '''degree of freedom (DOF)''' of a [[mechanical system]] is the number of independent parameters that define its configuration.

== Description ==

It is the number of parameters that determine the state of a physical system and is important to the analysis of systems of bodies in [[mechanical engineering]], [[Aerospace engineering|aeronautical engineering]], [[robotics]], and [[structural engineering]]. 

== One degree of freedom ==

The position of a single car (engine) moving along a track has one degree of freedom because the position of the car is defined by the distance along the track.

A train of rigid cars connected by hinges to an engine still has only one degree of freedom because the positions of the cars behind the engine are constrained by the shape of the track.

== Three degrees of freedom ==

An automobile with highly stiff suspension can be considered to be a rigid body traveling on a plane (a flat, two-dimensional space).

This body has three independent degrees of freedom consisting of two components of translation and one angle of rotation.

Skidding or [[drifting (motorsports)|drifting]] is a good example of an automobile's three independent degrees of freedom.

== Spatial definition ==

The position and [[orientation (geometry) | orientation ]] of a rigid body in space is defined by three components of [[Translation (physics)|translation]] and three components of [[rotation]], which means that it has '''six degrees of freedom'''.

== Exact constraint method ==

The [[Exact constraint]] mechanical design method manages the degrees of freedom to neither underconstrain nor overconstrain a device.

== See also ==

* [[Classical mechanics]]
* [[Covering space]]
* [[Geometry]]
* [[Mechanical system]]
* [[Physics]]

== External links == 

* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Degrees_of_freedom_(mechanics) Degrees of freedom (mechanics)] @ Wikipedia