PHYS 1421

Physics with Life Science

Applications 1
FW 2023
Professor Orchard
Friday November 24, 2023

1
Rotational Motion Analogs to Linear Motion!
LINEAR MOTION RELATIONSHIP ROTATIONAL MOTION
𝑚 mass Rotational motion obeys the same 𝐼 = σ 𝑚𝑖 𝑟𝑖2 inertia (depends on mass)
𝑑𝑥 rules of motion as we learned for
𝑣= linear velocity linear motion! 𝜔=
𝑑𝜃
=
𝑣
angular velocity
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑟
𝑑𝑣
𝑎= linear acceleration 𝛼=
𝑑𝜔
angular acceleration
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
Linear motion expressions can be
𝑣 = 𝑣0 + 𝑎𝑡 converted to rotational motion
equations using the analogs for the 𝜔 = 𝜔0 + 𝛼𝑡
1 1
𝑥 − 𝑥0 = 𝑣𝑜 𝑡 + 𝑎𝑡 2 linear quantities. 𝜃 − 𝜃0 = 𝜔𝑜 𝑡 + 𝛼𝑡 2
2 2
• Velocity → angular velocity
Newton’s 2nd law • Linear displacement → angle
Newton’s 2nd law
• Linear acceleration → angular
σ 𝜏Ԧ = 𝐼 𝛼Ԧ
෍ 𝐹Ԧ𝑑𝑖𝑟 = 𝑚𝑎Ԧ 𝑑𝑖𝑟 acceleration

Torque,𝜏,
Ԧ analog to force!
Linear Momentum Angular Momentum
𝑝Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ Angular momentum, 𝐿 analog to 𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔
linear momentum!

2
Torque
Torque, 𝜏Ԧ is the rotational analog of force and 𝜙
takes into account the distance 𝑟Ԧ between an
applied force 𝐹Ԧ and the rotation axis as well as
the angle 𝜙 between the 𝑟Ԧ and 𝐹Ԧ vectors.
Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 311
Mathematically, this can be expressed as the
“Cross Product”
Torque is a vector,
and we can obtain
𝜏Ԧ = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝐹Ԧ the direction by
applying the right
Where the magnitude of torque, 𝜏 is given by hand rule!

𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙
𝑟Ԧ is also referred to as the
• The SI units of torque are [𝑁 ∙ 𝑚]
Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 301 “lever arm” or “moment arm”

3
Conservation of Momentum
Recall conservation of momentum refers to
the total momentum of a system before and
after a collision is constant:

𝑝𝑖 = 𝑝𝑓

Ex. inelastic and elastic collisions – linear

momentum is conserved.

In the picture, the merry-go-round has zero

linear momentum, however when the child
jumps on it is starts moving!!!!
• Momentum must be conserved! The linear
momentum of the child running is converted to a
momentum that applies to rotating objects when she
Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 306

jumps onto the merry-go-round.

4
Angular Momentum
Angular momentum, 𝐿 is the rotational analog of linear
momentum!

Angular momentum is defined as the product of angular

velocity and the moment of inertia:
Recall:
𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔 Linear momentum
𝑝Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ

We can use the analog of force, torque to obtain a And we also know:
relationship between torque and angular momentum: 𝑑𝑝Ԧ
Ԧ
𝐹=
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐿
𝜏Ԧ =
𝑑𝑡
5
Angular Momentum
𝑑𝐿
Let’s look at the magnitude of this relationship, 𝜏Ԧ = .
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐿
The magnitude is 𝜏 = and we know the magnitude Recall:
𝑑𝑡
of torque is 𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙: Linear momentum
𝑝Ԧ = 𝑚𝑣Ԧ

𝑑𝐿 𝑑𝑝 And we also know:

= 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 = 𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝐹Ԧ =
𝑑𝑝Ԧ
𝑑𝑡
Multiplying both sides by 𝑑𝑡 (recall 𝑑𝑡 represents a tiny
time change) and rearranging this expression we have:
Where 𝜙 is the angle
𝑑𝐿 = 𝑟 𝑑𝑝 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 or 𝐿 = 𝑟𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 between 𝑟Ԧ and 𝑝Ԧ

6
Angular Momentum
The angular momentum an object has as it moves with respect to a
rotation axis depends on the distance from the axis and direction of
motion, as well as the linear momentum!
Rotation
axis
Note, 𝑟𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙 is simply the distance from the centre
of rotation to the radius, 𝑅 of the rotating object.
Therefore, we can express the angular momentum
of the girl with respect to the centre of the rotating
object:

𝐿 = 𝑅𝑝

The angular momentum of the girl before and after

the collision is conserved, as expected!

Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 308

7
Angular Momentum Conservation
Let’s take a closer look at the definition of angular momentum:

𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔

Angular momentum of a rotating system is conserved when no external forces

or torques are applied to the system. (Similar to conservation of linear
momentum where the net forces acting on the system are zero.)
• This implies, if the moment of inertia decreases (by shifting the mass closer to
the rotation axis) the angular velocity has to increase to conserve the angular
momentum!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmnkQ2ytlO8
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VmeM0BNnGR0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkPi7Ik7fOM

8
Angular Momentum Vector
Recall the expression for angular momentum is a vector 𝜙

𝐿 = 𝐼𝜔

And the magnitude is related to the linear momentum by: Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 311

𝐿 = 𝑟𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜙

Note this expression above is simply the magnitude of the cross product! So, we can express
angular momentum as:

𝐿 = 𝑟Ԧ × 𝑝Ԧ

Where the direction of 𝐿 is determined using the right hand rule! The direction of the angular
momentum vector accounts for the direction of rotation. (The direction of 𝐿 is perpendicular to
the both the direction of 𝑟Ԧ and 𝑝Ԧ (or the direction of rotation).

9
Angular Momentum Vector
To find the angular momentum vector
direction curl your fingers of your hand
in the direction of rotation and stick
your thumb straight out.
• Your thumb points in the direction of the
angular momentum.

The angular momentum points along

the axis of rotation!
• The right hand rule defines in which
direction!

10 Kesten & Tauck, 2012, pg 311