# rigid body
Rigid-body physics treats objects as solid, non-deforming shapes and asks how they collide, spin and topple — the branch of mechanics behind everything from pool tables to gears. This tag collects the site's five rigid-body simulations: watch a chain reaction ripple through Domino Chain, spin gears and linkages in Mechanisms, pot balls with realistic collisions in Billiards Physics, or crack solid objects apart under stress in Fracture Simulation. The most surprising entry is the Dzhanibekov Effect, which reproduces the real intermediate-axis theorem — a spinning object flipped on the space station that keeps tumbling unpredictably, a genuine quirk of rigid-body rotation that looks like a glitch but is pure physics.
Found: 5 simulations · 0 articles
🧪 Simulations (5)
📊 Facts
How many rigid-body simulations are here?
5 simulations, covering chain reactions, mechanical linkages, elastic collisions, fracture and rotational dynamics.
What's the most counter-intuitive one?
The Dzhanibekov Effect — a spinning object flips end over end unpredictably, reproducing the real intermediate-axis instability first noticed aboard a spacecraft.
Is there anything with mechanical linkages or gears?
Mechanisms lets you build and drive gear trains and linkages to see how rigid parts transmit motion and force.
What handles breaking objects rather than solid ones?
Fracture Simulation models how a rigid solid cracks and separates once stress exceeds its structural limit.
Looking for more? Dive into the full library of 1000+ interactive, browser-based simulations, or browse every topic.