d'Alembert's principle

noun

d'A·​lem·​bert's principle

¦daləm¦be(ə)rz-

: a principle in mechanics: the reaction due to the inertia of an accelerated body (as a baseball) is equal and opposite to the force causing the acceleration (as the blow of a bat upon the baseball) and results in a condition of kinetic equilibrium compare law of motion sense 3

Word History

Etymology

after Jean LeRond d'Alembert †1783 French mathematician, its formulator

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