14/09/2023

Rotational motion
AH Physics
Motion in a circle
Circular or rotational motion is common everywhere from electrons orbiting
the nucleus to wheels turning to planets orbiting the sun.

It is important to study rotational motion in the same way that we studied
linear motion in National 5 and Higher Physics.
The Radian The radian is the angle produced in a
circle when the arc length is equal to the
radius .

So there are 2π radians in a circle.

This is because the circumference =2πr

1 radian = = 57.3°

Note: The radian is called a dimensionless unit. Since it is the ratio of the
arc length to the radius, the units effectively cancel out.
Angular displacement
Angular displacement θ is simply a measure of the total angle that an object
has moved through.
It is measured in radians (rad) (remember in a circle there are 2π radians)

Equivalent linear displacement (or distance travelled) and angular displacement

of a point moving with rotational motion are linked with this relationship:
angular displacement (rad)
displacement (m)
𝑠= 𝜃 𝑟 radius (m)

This is because the linear displacement in a circle is 2 πr (r is in meters)

The angular displacement in a circle is 2π radians.
 𝑠=𝜃 𝑟
Examples
1.A bicycle wheel has a radius of 0.40m
a) Calculate the distance travelled by a point on the rim of the wheel if it turns
through
(i) 5 revolutions
(ii) 22.5 revolutions
b) Calculate the angular displacement of the wheel if a point on the rim of the
wheel travels a distance of 100m.

a) (i) 12.6m (ii) 56.5 m (b) 250 radians

Examples
1.A bicycle wheel has a radius of 0.40m
a) Calculate the distance travelled by a point on the rim of the wheel if it turns
through
(i) 5 revolutions
(ii) 22.5 revolutions
b) Calculate the angular displacement of the wheel if a point on the rim of the
wheel travels a distance of 100m.

a) (i) 12.6m (ii) 56.5 m (b) 250 radians

Angular velocity (w)
Commonly angular velocity is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
This is used for the speed of a car engine, vinyl record turntables, etc.
In Physics we have to use radians per second (rad s -1)
To convert revs per minute into radians per second:
1 revolution = 2π radians 1 minute = 60 seconds

revs per minute x = radians per second

Calculate the following in radians per second (rads-1): 45rpm, 3000rpm

4.7 rads-1 314 rads-1
Angular velocity
Angular velocity is the rate of change of angular displacement

∆𝜃
𝜔=
𝜃 𝜔= It is measured in radians per second
𝑡 ∆𝑡
Tangential speed and angular velocity are linked by the following
relationship. Radius (m)

= rw 𝑣=𝑟 𝜔
Tangential speed
(ms-1) Angular velocity
(rads-1)
 ∆𝜃
revs per minute x 𝜔=
∆𝑡
𝑣=𝜔 𝑟

Angular velocity & Tangential speed

Two coins are placed on a turntable. One coin is at a distance of 10cm
from the centre. The other coin is at a distance of 25cm from the centre.
The turntable is rotating at 45rpm.

Determine:
a) the angular velocity of the turntable in rad s -1
b) (i) the tangential speed of the coin at a radius of 10cm
(ii) the tangential speed of the coin at a radius of 25cm

a) 4.7 rad s-1

b) (i) 0.47 ms-1 (ii) 1.2 ms-1

Tangential speed of the Earth
𝜃 revs per minute x
𝜔=
𝑡
𝑣=𝜔 𝑟

The Earth has a radius of 6.4 x 106m

The Earth rotates on its own axis once every 24 hours.

Determine:
a) the angular velocity of the earth in rad s-1
b) the tangential speed of a person standing at the equator.
c) The tangential speed of someone in Edinburgh. (What additional information do you
need?) 3.58 x 10 m 6

r 34°
a) 7.3 x 10 rad s
-5 -1
b) 470 ms (about 1000 mph)
-1
56°

c) 261 ms-1
 ∆𝜃
revs per minute x 𝜔=
∆𝑡
𝑣=𝜔 𝑟

Structured Problems, page 4, Qs 13-29.

Angular acceleration
Using the same ideas as we did with displacement and velocity:
Angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular velocity

α =angular acceleration
ω= final angular velocity
ω0 = initial angular velocity
t = time

Linear and angular acceleration are linked by the following relationship:

𝑎=𝛼 𝑟 a = tangential acceleration

α =angular acceleration
r = radius
Rotational equations of motion
Similar to work completed in Higher Physics. Calculations can be carried out
using equations of motion for rotational motion.
 𝑣=𝜔 𝑟
Example
𝑠=𝜃 𝑟
A thin cord is wound around a pulley with a radius of
7.5mm
The cord is pulled, and the disc accelerates from rest to
25 rads-1 in 6.0 seconds.

a) Calculate the angular acceleration of the disc.

b) Calculate the length of string unwound from the pulley
c) Calculate the final tangential speed of a point on the
rim of the disc.
A thin cord is wound
around a pulley with a
radius of 7.5mm
The cord is pulled and the
disc accelerates from rest
to 25 rads-1 in 6.0
seconds.
𝑟 𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑦 =7.5 𝑚𝑚 𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑐 =290 𝑚𝑚

a) Calculate the angular acceleration of

the disc.
b) Calculate the length of string
unwound from the pulley
c) Calculate the final tangential speed v =rω =290 x 10-3 x 25
of a point on the rim of the disc. v = 7.25 ms-1

Structured Problems, page 6, Qs 30-35.

Structured Problems, page 6, Qs 30-35.

𝑎=𝛼 𝑟
∆𝜃
𝜔=
∆𝑡
𝑣=𝜔 𝑟
revs per minute x