Rotational

Kinematics
1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

In the simplest kind of rotation,

points on a rigid object move on
circular paths around an axis of
rotation.

Rotation refers to the

motion of a body
turning about an axis,
where each particle of
the body moves along a
circular path.
1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

The angle through which the

object rotates is called the
angular displacement.

     o
1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

DEFINITION OF ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT

•When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, the angular

displacement is the angle swept out by a line passing through
any point on the body and intersecting the axis of rotation
perpendicularly.

•By convention, the angular displacement is positive if it is

counterclockwise and negative if it is clockwise.

•SI Unit of Angular Displacement: radian (rad)

1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

Arc length s
 (in radians)  
Radius r

For a full revolution:

2 r
  2 rad 2 rad  360
r
1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

Example 1 Adjacent Synchronous Satellites

Synchronous satellites are put into

an orbit whose radius is 4.23×107m.

If the angular separation of the two

satellites is 2.00 degrees, find the
arc length that separates them.
1 Rotational Motion and Angular Displacement

Arc length s
 (in radians)  
Radius r

 2 rad 
2.00 deg   0.0349 rad
 360 deg 

 
s  r  4.23  10 7 m 0.0349 rad 
 1.48 10 6 m (920 miles)
2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

     o

How do we describe the rate at which the

angular displacement is changing?
2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

DEFINITION OF AVERAGE ANGULAR VELOCITY

Angular displacement
Average angular velocity 
Elapsed time

  o

 
t  to t

SI Unit of Angular Velocity: radian per second (rad/s)

2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

Example 2 Gymnast on a High Bar

A gymnast on a high bar swings through

two revolutions in a time of 1.90 s.

Find the average angular velocity

of the gymnast.
2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

 2 rad 
  2.00 rev   12.6 rad
 1 rev 

 12.6 rad
  6.63 rad s
1.90 s
2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

DEFINITION OF AVERAGE ANGULAR ACCELERATION

Changing angular velocity means that an angular

acceleration is occurring.

Change in angular velocity

Average angular acceleration 
Elapsed time

  o 
  
t  to t
SI Unit of Angular acceleration: radian per second squared (rad/s2)
2. Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration
Example 3 A Jet Revving Its Engines

As seen from the front of the

engine, the fan blades are
rotating with an angular
speed of -110 rad/s. As the
plane takes off, the angular
velocity of the blades reaches
-330 rad/s in a time of 14 s.

Find the angular acceleration, assuming it to

be constant.
2 Angular Velocity and Angular Acceleration

 
 330 rad s    110 rad s 
 16 rad s 2

14 s
Exercise:
1.Determine the angular displacement in
radians of 6.5 revolutions. Round to the
nearest tenth.
2.Determine the angular velocity if 4.8
revolutions are completed in 4 seconds.
Round to the nearest tenth.
3.If the angular velocity of a body in rotational
motion changes from π/2 rad/s to 3π/4
rad/s in 0.4 s. Find the angular acceleration.
3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

Recall the equations of kinematics for constant acceleration.

Five kinematic variables:

v  vo  at
1. displacement, x

2. acceleration (constant), a
x 1
2
vo  v  t
3. final velocity (at time t), v
v  v  2ax
2 2
o
4. initial velocity, vo

5. elapsed time, t x  vot  at 1

2
2
3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics
The equations of rotational kinematics for constant
angular acceleration:
ANGULAR ACCELERATION

ANGULAR VELOCITY

  o   t

  12 o    t
TIME

ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT
    2
2 2
o

  o t   t 1
2
2
3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics
3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

Reasoning Strategy
1. Make a drawing.

2. Decide which directions are to be called positive (+) and negative (-).

3. Write down the values that are given for any of the five kinematic
variables.

4. Verify that the information contains values for at least three of the five
kinematic variables. Select the appropriate equation.

5. When the motion is divided into segments, remember that the final
angular velocity of one segment is the initial velocity for the next.

6. Keep in mind that there may be two possible answers to a kinematics

problem.
3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

Example 4 Blending with a Blender

The blades are whirling with an

angular velocity of +375 rad/s when
the “puree” button is pushed in.

When the “blend” button is pushed,

the blades accelerate and reach a
greater angular velocity after the
blades have rotated through an
angular displacement of +44.0 rad.

The angular acceleration has a

constant value of +1740 rad/s2.

Find the final angular velocity of the blades.

3 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

θ α ω ωo t
+44.0 rad +1740 rad/s2 ? +375 rad/s

 2  o2  2

  o2  2
 375 rad s  2

 2 1740 rad s 2
44.0rad  542 rad s
4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables


v T  tangential velocity

vT  tangential speed
4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables



s r   t
vT    r 
t t t

vT  r ( in rad/s)
4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables
  o

t

vT  vTo r   ro    o

aT   r
t t t

aT  r ( in rad/s ) 2
4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables
Example 5 A Helicopter Blade

A helicopter blade has an angular speed of 6.50 rev/s and an

angular acceleration of 1.30 rev/s2.
For point 1 on the blade, find
the magnitude of (a) the
tangential speed and (b) the
tangential acceleration.
4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

a. Calculating angular speed and tangential speed.

 rev  2 rad 
   6.50    40.8 rad s
 s  1 rev 

vT  r  3.00 m 40.8 rad s   122 m s

4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

b. Calculating angular acceleration and tangential

acceleration.
 rev  2 rad 
  1.30 2    8.17 rad s
2

 s  1 rev 

 
aT  r  3.00 m  8.17 rad s 2  24.5 m s 2
6 Rolling Motion

The tangential speed of a

point on the outer edge of
the tire is equal to the
speed of the car over the
ground.

v = r
Since the arc length and
distance along the ground
are equal

s/t = d/t = v.
6 Rolling Motion(cont.)

The acceleration of the vehicle can

be analyzed in a similar fashion to
linear and tangential velocity.

Thus:

a  r
6 Rolling Motion

Example 7 An Accelerating Car

Starting from rest, the car accelerates

for 20.0 s with a constant linear
acceleration of 0.800 m/s2. The
radius of the tires is 0.330 m.

What is the angle through which each

wheel has rotated?
6 Rolling Motion
a 0.800 m s 2
   2.42 rad s 2
r 0.330 m

θ α ω ωo t
? -2.42 rad/s2 0 rad/s 20.0 s

  o t   t
1
2
2

  12  2.42 rad s 2 220.0 s 2  484 rad

Exercise #1
Exercise #2