Circular motion

• Uniform circular motion is motion in a circle at a constant speed.

Rotation angle:
• The rotation angle 𝛥𝜃 is defined as the ratio of the arc length to the radius of the
𝛥𝑠
curvature, 𝛥𝜃 = 𝑟 , where arc length 𝑠 is distance traveled along a circular path
and 𝑟 is the radius of curvature of the circular path.
• The quantity 𝜃 is measured in units of radians (rad), for which 2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 360o =
1 𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛.
• If 𝛥𝜃 = 2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑, the object has made one complete revolution.
360
• The conversion between radians and degrees is 1 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 2𝜋 = 57.296o (5 𝑠. 𝑓. ).

Angular velocity:
𝛥𝜃
• Angular velocity 𝜔 is the rate of change of an angle, 𝛥𝑡 , where a rotation Δθ takes
place in a time 𝛥𝑡.
• The units of angular velocity are radians per second (rad/s).

Relationship between linear and angular quantities:

• Angular velocity 𝜔 is analogous to linear velocity 𝑣.
𝛥𝑠
• If an object moves an arc length 𝛥𝑠 in a time 𝛥𝑡 , it has a linear velocity 𝑣 =𝛥𝑡 .
𝛥𝑠
• From 𝛥𝜃 = , 𝛥𝑠 = 𝑟𝛥𝜃.
𝑟
𝑟𝛥𝜃
• Hence, 𝑣 = = 𝑟𝜔.
𝛥𝑡
Formulae

• Rotation angle
𝛥𝑠
o 𝛥𝜃 =
𝑟

• Angular velocity
𝛥𝜃
o 𝜔 = 𝛥𝑡

• Linear velocity
o 𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔