EPHYS 001 PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS / PHYS 001C CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS

Topic: ROTATIONAL MOTION

Intended Learning Outcomes:
1. Describe motion of objects as they rotate.
2. Compare Translational Motion to Rotational Motion.
3. Solve problems involving Rotational Motion.

ROTATIONAL KINEMATICS
 The motion of objects as they translate -- move bodily
from one place to another -- follows a simple set of
rules. It turns out that a very similar set of rules Instantaneous angular speed
describes the motion of objects as they rotate -- spin We take ω to be positive when θ is increasing
around in place. (counterclockwise motion) and negative when θ is decreasing
 Physicists usually don't use degrees as a unit to measure (clockwise motion).
angles; instead, they use radians.
 Each translational quantity has a rotational analog:
Δx, displacement (m) --> ΔӨ, angular displacement
Average angular acceleration
(rad)
v, velocity (m/s) --> ω , angular velocity (rad/s)
The average angular acceleration αavg (Greek letter
a, acceleration (m/s2) --> α, angular acceleration alpha) of a rotating rigid object is defined as the ratio of the
(rad/s2) change in the angular speed to the time interval Δt during
which the change in the angular speed occurs.
Angular Displacement
The angular position of the rigid object is the angle θ
between this reference line on the object and the fixed
Instantaneous angular acceleration
reference line in space, which is often chosen as the x axis.
The instantaneous angular acceleration is defined as
Such identification is similar to the way we define the position
the limit of the average angular acceleration as Δt approaches
of an object in translational motion as the distance x between
zero.
the object and the reference position, which is the origin, x =
0.

As the particle in question on our rigid object travels

from position A to position B a time interval Δt, the reference
line fixed to the object sweeps out an angle Δθ = θ f - θi. This
quantity Δθ is defined as the angular displacement of the rigid
object:

Average Angular Speed

The average angular speed ωavg(Greek letter omega)
is the ratio of the angular displacement of a rigid object to the
time interval Δt during which the displacement occurs.
 the first 21 seconds of the ride? What is the instantaneous tangential
=r or s=r where: speed of the passengers 15 seconds after the acceleration begins?

v=r = displacement or arc

length

a=r r = radius

ROTATIONAL KINEMATIC EQUATIONS

Kinematic Equation 1:

ACCELERATION OF OBJECTS MOVING WITH

Kinematic Equation 2: UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION (UCM)

Uniform circular motion occurs when an object moves in a circular

path with a constant speed.
Kinematic Equation 3: Acceleration exists since the direction of the motion is changing.
 This change in velocity is related to acceleration.
The constant-magnitude velocity vector is always tangent to the path
of the object.
Sample Problem 1
A wheel rotates with a constant angular acceleration of Changing Velocity in Uniform Circular Motion
3.50 rad/s2. (A) If the angular speed of the wheel is 2.00 rad/s at t i The change in the velocity vector is due to the change in direction.
= 0, through what angular displacement does the wheel rotate in The direction of the change in velocity is toward the center of the
2.00s? circle.
(B) Through how many revolutions has the wheel turned during r r r
The vector diagram shows v  v  v
f i
this time interval? (C) What is the angular speed of the wheel at
t=2.00s?

CENTRIPETAL ACCELERATION
The acceleration is always perpendicular to the path of the motion.
The acceleration always points toward the center of the circle of
motion. The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration vector is given
by: 2
v
aC 
r
The direction of the centripetal acceleration vector is always
changing, to stay directed toward the center of the circle of motion.

Sample Problem 3
A child sitting 1.20 m from the center of a merry-go round moves
with a speed 1.10 m/s. Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the
child.

Sample Problem 4
Sample Problem 2
What is the magnitude of the acceleration of a speck of clay on the
On an amusement park ride, passengers are seated in a horizontal
edge of a potter’s wheel turning at 45 rpm(revolutions per minute) if
circle of radius 7.5 m. The seats begin from rest and are uniformly
the wheel’s diameter is 35 cm?
accelerated for 21 seconds to a maximum rotational speed of 1.4
rad/s. What is the tangential acceleration of the passengers during
PERIOD
The period, T, is the time required for one complete revolution.
The speed of the particle would be the circumference of the circle of
motion divided by the period.
2 r
T 
v
Sample Problem 5
A phonograph record 60.0cm in diameter rotates 33.3 times per
minute. What is its period in seconds? Sample Problem 6
A discus thrower accelerates a discus from rest to a speed of 25.0
m/s by whirling it through 1.25 rev. Assume the discus moves on the
arc of a circle 1.00m in radius. (A) Calculate the final angular speed of
the discus. (B) Determine the magnitude of the angular acceleration
of the discus, assuming it to be constant. (C) calculate the total
acceleration of the discus.

ACCELERATION OF OBJECTS MOVING WITH NON-

UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

TANGENTIAL ACCELERATIONThe magnitude of the velocity could

also be changing.In this case, there would be a tangential
acceleration.
The motion would be under the influence of both tangential and
centripetal accelerations.
 Note the changing acceleration vectors

TOTAL ACCELERATION
The tangential acceleration causes the change in the speed of the
particle.
The centripetal acceleration comes from a change in the direction of
the velocity vector.
The tangential acceleration: dv
at 
dt
The radial acceleration: v2
ar  aC  
r
Note: centripetal means center seeking
Radial means moving along a radius
The total acceleration:
 Magnitude a  a 2  a 2
r t
 Direction
 Same as velocity vector if v is
increasing, opposite if v is decreasing
 EPHYS 001 PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS / PHYS 001C CALCULUS-BASED PHYSICS

Topic: Rotational Kinematics

Assessment Task No. ____

Name : _______________________________________ Section:______________ Date:

________________

1. A deep-sea fisherman hooks a big fish that swims away

from the boat pulling the fishing line from his fishing reel. The
whole system is initially at rest and the fishing line unwinds
from the reel at a radius of 4.50 cm from its axis of rotation.
The reel is given an angular acceleration of 110 rad/s 2 for 2.00
s as seen in the figure .
(a) What is the final angular velocity of the reel?
(b) At what speed is fishing line leaving the reel after 2.00 s
elapses?
(c) How many revolutions does the reel make?
(d) How many meters of fishing line come off the reel in this
time?
(e) if the fisherman applies a brake to the spinning reel, 3. A figure skater begins spinning counterclockwise
achieving an angular acceleration of -300 rad/s 2. How long at an angular speed of 4.0π rad/s. During a 3.0 sec
does it take the reel to come to a stop? interval, she slowly pulls her arms inward and
finally spins at 8.0π rad/s. (a) What is her average
angular acceleration during this time interval? (b)
How many rotations did she spin in this time
interval as she accelerated her spin?

4. While riding on a merry-go-round, a child travels

2. A powerful motorcycle can accelerate from 0 to 30.0 m/s through an arc length of 11.5 m. If the merry-go-
(about 108 km/h) in 4.20 s. What is the angular acceleration round has a radius of 4 m, through what angle
of its 0.320-m-radius wheels? (theta) does the child travel? Give the angle in
radians, degrees, and rotations.
5. What is the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of a
car following a curve of radius 500 m at a speed of 25.0
m/s (about 90 km/h)?