Unit 9: Rotational

Motion
Angular Quantities

In purely rotational motion, all points on the object

move in circles around the axis of rotation (“O”).
The radius of the circle is R. All points on a straight
line drawn through the axis move through the same
angle in the same time. The angle θ in radians is
defined:
l
,
R

where l is the arc length.

1 rev = 360° = 2π rad

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Example
A particular bird’s eye can just distinguish objects that
subtend an angle no smaller than about 3 x 10-4 rad.
(a) How many degrees is this? (b) How small an object
can the bird just distinguish when flying at a height of
100 m?

Solution: For (a) use the relation 2π rad = 360°.

For (b) use ℓ = Rθ to find the arc length.

Answer: (a) 0.017°; (b) 3 cm.

Note: Had the angle been given in degrees, we would

For small angles, arc length and the chord
length (straight line) are nearly equal. For first had to convert it into radians to make this
an angle as large as 15°, the error in
making this estimate is only 1%.
calculation. Equation ℓ = Rθ is valid only if the
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angle is in radians.
Angular Quantities
Angular displacement:

The average angular velocity is defined as the total

angular displacement divided by time:

The instantaneous angular velocity:

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Angular Quantities
The average angular acceleration is:

The instantaneous angular acceleration:

Angular acceleration has units of rad/s2 .

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Angular Quantities
Every point on a rotating body has an
angular velocity ω and a linear velocity v.

Consider point P. The magnitude of its

linear velocity is v = dℓ/dt. A change in

rotation angle dθ is related to the linear

distance dℓ = Rdθ. Hence

v = dℓ/dt = R (dθ/dt)

or v = Rω

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 Angular
Angular Quantities
Quantities

Objects farther
from the axis of
rotation will move
faster.

v=
Rω
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 Angular
Angular Quanti ti es
Quantities

If the angular velocity of a rotating object changes, it has

a tangential acceleration:

Even if the angular velocity is constant, each point on the

object has a centripetal acceleration:

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Rotational Kinematic Equations

The kinematic expression for the rigid f i   t

object under constant angular
1 2
acceleration are of the same
f  i  i t   t
mathematical form as those for a 2
f i  2  f   i 
particle under constant acceleration. 2 2
• Substitutions from translational to
rotational are
1
x→θ
f  i  i  f t
2
v→ω all with consant 
a→α
Comparison Between Rotational and Linear
Equations
 Angular
Angular Quanti ti es
Quantities

The frequency is the number of complete revolutions per

second:

Frequencies are measured in hertz:

The period is the time one revolution takes:

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Vector nature of angular quantities
The angular velocity vector points along the axis of rotation, with the
direction given by the right-hand rule.

If the direction of the rotation axis does not change, the angular
acceleration vector points along it as well.

(a) Rotating wheel. (b) Right-hand rule for obtaining

direction of ω.

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Example

A carousel is initially at rest. At t = 0 it is given a

constant angular acceleration α = 0.060 rad/s2, which
increases its angular velocity for 8.0 s. At t = 8.0 s,
determine the magnitude of the following quantities:

(a) the angular velocity of the carousel;

(b) the linear velocity of a child located 2.5 m from

the center;

(c) the tangential (linear) acceleration of that child;

(d) the centripetal acceleration of the child; and

(e) the total linear acceleration of the child.

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Example, cont.
Solution:
(a) ω2 = ω1 + αΔt = 0 + (0.060 rad/s2)(8.0 s) = 0.48 rad/s.

(b) v = ωR = (2.5 m)(0.48 rad/s) = 1.2 m/s

(c) atan = Rα = (2.5 m)(0.060 rad/s2) = 0.15 m/s2

(d) aR = v2/R = (1.2 m/s)2 /(2.5 m) = 0.58 m/s2

(e) a = atan + aR

a = (a2tan + a2R)½ = {(0.15 m/s2 )2 + (0.58 m/s2)2}½ = 0.60

m/s2.

θ = tan-1 (atan/aR) = tan-1 (0.15/0.58) = 0.25 rad.

NOTE The linear acceleration at this chosen instant is mostly centripetal,

keeping the child moving in a circle with the carousel. The tangential 14
component that speeds up the motion is smaller.
Example
A rotating merry-go-round makes one
complete revolution in 4.0 s. (a) What is the
linear speed of a child seated 1.2 m from the
centre? (b) What is her acceleration?

The angular speed of the merry-go-round is

2 rad/4.0 s = 1.57 rad/s.
(a) v = ωr = (1.57 rad/s)(1.2 m) = 1.9
m/s.

(b) The acceleration is radial. There is no

tangential acceleration.
aR = ω2r = (1.57 rad/s)2(1.2 m) =
3.0 m/s2 towards the centre. 15
Example – Final exam Spring 2016

The figure shows a graph of angular

velocity as a function of time for a car
driving around a circular track. Through
how many radians does the car travel in
the first 10 minutes?
a. 100
b. 50
c. 30
d. 90
e. 70

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Example – Final e xam Spring 2016

The figure shows a graph of angular

velocity as a function of time for a car
driving around a circular track. Through
how many radians does the car travel in
the first 10 minutes?
a. 100
b. 50
c. 30
d. 90

e. 70 17
E xam pl e – Fi nal ex am Spri ng 2016

At t = 0, a wheel rotating about a fixed axis at a constant

angular acceleration of −0.40 rad/s2 has an angular velocity of
1.5 rad/s and an angular position of 2.3 rad. What is the angular
position of the wheel at t = 2.0 s?
a. 4.9 rad
b. 4.7 rad
c. 4.5 rad
d. 4.3 rad
e. 4.1 rad

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E xam pl e – Fi nal e xam Spri ng 2016

At t = 0, a wheel rotating about a fixed axis at a constant

angular acceleration of −0.40 rad/s2 has an angular
velocity of 1.5 rad/s and an angular position of 2.3 rad.
What is the angular position of the wheel at t = 2.0 s?
a. 4.9 rad
b. 4.7 rad

c. 4.5 rad
d. 4.3 rad
e. 4.1 rad

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Rotational Kinetic Energy

• An object rotating about some axis with an angular speed, ω, has

rotational kinetic energy even though it may not have any
translational kinetic energy.

• Each particle has a kinetic energy of

Ki = ½ mivi2

• Since the tangential velocity depends on the distance, r, from the

axis of rotation, we can substitute vi = wi r.
Rotational Kinetic Energy, cont.

The total rotational kinetic energy of the rigid object is the sum of the
energies of all its particles.
1
K R  K i  mi ri 
2 2

i i 2

1 2 2 1 2
K R    mi ri   I
2 i  2

I is called the moment of inertia.

Moment of Inertia

 The rotational
inertia of an object
depends not only on
its mass distribution
but also the location
of the axis of
rotation—compare
(f) and (g), for
example.
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Example

Calculate the net torque about

the axle of the wheel. Assume
that a friction torque of 0.40
m·N opposes the motion.

Call anti- clockwise torques positive. The torque due to the three applied
forces is

applied forces = (28 N)(0.24 m) – (18 N)(0.24 m) – (35 N)(0.12 m) = - 1.8 m·N

Since this torque is clockwise, we assume the wheel is rotating clockwise, and
so the frictional torque is counterclockwise. Thus the net torque is

net = (28N)(0.24m) – (18N)(0.24m) – (35N)(0.12m) + 0.40 m·N = - 1.4 m·N

= 1.4 m·N clockwise.
Example

Determine the net torque on the 2.0 m long uniform

beam. Calculate about (a) point C, and (b) point P at one
end.
Solution:

Take counterclockwise torques to be positive.

(a) C = - (1.0 m)(56 N) sin 30°+ (1.0 m)(52 N)sin60°

= 17 m·N.

(b) P = - (2.0 m)(56 N) sin 30°+(1.0 m)(65 N)sin45°

= - 10 m·N (2 sig. figs.)

The negative sign indicates a clockwise torque.

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