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Concept
Euler's rotation theorem
Summary
In geometry, Euler's rotation theorem states that, in three-dimensional space, any displacement of a rigid body such that a point on the rigid body remains fixed, is equivalent to a single rotation about some axis that runs through the fixed point. It also means that the composition of two rotations is also a rotation. Therefore the set of rotations has a group structure, known as a rotation group.
The theorem is named after Leonhard Euler, who proved it in 1775 by means of spherical geometry. The axis of rotation is known as an Euler axis, typically represented by a unit vector ê. Its product by the rotation angle is known as an axis-angle vector. The extension of the theorem to kinematics yields the concept of instant axis of rotation, a line of fixed points.
In linear algebra terms, the theorem states that, in 3D space, any two Cartesian coordinate systems with a common origin are related by a rotation about some fixed axis. This also means that the product of two rotation matrices is again a rotation matrix and that for a non-identity rotation matrix one eigenvalue is 1 and the other two are both complex, or both equal to −1. The eigenvector corresponding to this eigenvalue is the axis of rotation connecting the two systems.
Euler states the theorem as follows:
Theorema.
Quomodocunque sphaera circa centrum suum conuertatur, semper assignari potest diameter,
cuius directio in situ translato conueniat cum situ initiali.
or (in English):
When a sphere is moved around its centre it is always possible to find a diameter whose direction in the displaced position is the same as in the initial position.
Euler's original proof was made using spherical geometry and therefore whenever he speaks about triangles they must be understood as spherical triangles.
To arrive at a proof, Euler analyses what the situation would look like if the theorem were true. To that end, suppose the yellow line in Figure 1 goes through the center of the sphere and is the axis of rotation we are looking for, and point O is one of the two intersection points of that axis with the sphere.
Official source
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