Rotational Motion

Contents
• Center of Mass
• Angular Quantities
• Constant Angular Acceleration
• Rolling Motion (Without Slipping)
• Torque
• Rotational Dynamics; Torque and Rotational Inertia
• Solving Problems in Rotational Dynamics
• Rotational Kinetic Energy
• Angular Momentum and Its Conservation
 Center of Mass
In (a), the diver’s motion is pure translation; in (b) it is
translation plus rotation.
There is one point that moves in the same path a particle
would take if subjected to the same force as the diver. This
point is called the center of mass (CM).
 Center of Mass

The general motion of an object can be considered as the

sum of the translational motion of the CM, plus
rotational, vibrational, or other forms of motion about
the CM.
 Center of Mass

For two particles, the center of mass lies closer to the

one with the most mass:

where M is the total mass.

 Center of Mass

The center of gravity is the point where the gravitational

force can be considered to act. It is the same as the
center of mass as long as the gravitational force does not
vary among different parts of the object.
 Center of Mass

The center of gravity can be found experimentally by

suspending an object from different points. The CM
need not be within the actual object—a doughnut’s CM
is in the center of the hole.
 Example

Three people of roughly equivalent mass, m, on a

lightweight banana boat sit along the x-axis at position
x1 =1.0m, x2 =5.0m, and x3 =6.0m. Find the position
of the CM.
Given: x1 =1.0m, x2 =5.0m, x3 =6.0m.
Formula: xcm= maxa + mbxb + mcxc
ma+ mb + mc
Substitution: xcm = 1m + 5m+ 6m
3
Answer w/unit: 4.00m
 Angular Quantities

In purely rotational motion, all points

on the object move in circles around
the axis of rotation (“O”). The radius
of the circle is r. All points on a
straight line drawn through the axis
move through the same angle in the
same time. The angle θ in radians is
defined:
( a)

where l is the arc length.

 Example
A bike wheel rotates 4.50 revolutions.
How many radians has it rotated?
Given: 4.50 revs
Approach: Convert from revolutions to
radians. 1 rev = 2π rad
Substitution: 4.50rev x 2π rad
1 rev
Answer w/unit: 28.3 rad
 Angular Quantities
Angular displacement:
Δθ = θ2 – θ1
The average angular velocity is
defined as the total angular
displacement divided by time:
( a)

The instantaneous angular velocity:

( b)
 Angular Quantities

The angular acceleration is the rate at which the angular

velocity changes with time:

( a)

The instantaneous acceleration:

( b)
 Angular Quantities
Every point on a rotating body has an angular velocity ω
and a linear velocity v.
They are related:

()
 Angular Quantities

Therefore, objects farther from the axis of rotation will

move faster.
 Example
On a rotating carousel or merry-go-
round, one child sits on a horse near
the outer edge and another child sits
on a lion halfway out from the center.
a) Which child has the greater linear
velocity?
 Example
On a rotating carousel or merry-go-
round, one child sits on a horse near
the outer edge and another child sits
on a lion halfway out from the center.
a) Which child has the greater linear
velocity?

Answer: The linear velocity is the distance

traveled divided by the time interval. In one
rotation the child on the outer edge travels a
longer distance than the child near the center, but
the time interval is the same for both. Thus the
child at the outer edge, on the horse, has the
greater linear velocity.
 Example continues
On a rotating carousel or merry-go-round, one
child sits on a horse near the outer edge and
another child sits on a lion halfway out from
the center.
b) Which child has the greater angular
velocity?
 Example continues
On a rotating carousel or merry-go-round, one
child sits on a horse near the outer edge and
another child sits on a lion halfway out from
the center.
b) Which child has the greater angular
velocity?

Answer: The two children have the same

angular velocity.
 Angular Quantities

If the angular velocity of a rotating object changes, it has

a tangential acceleration:

()

Even if the angular velocity is constant,

each point on the object has a centripetal
acceleration:

()
 Angular Quantities

Here is the correspondence between linear and rotational

quantities:
 Example
A carousel is initially at rest. At t=0 it is given a constant
angular acceleration α=0.060rad/s2, which increases its
angular velocity for 8.0s. At t=8.0s, determine
a) the angular velocity of the carousel.
Given: α=0.060rad/s2, t=8.0s
Formula: α = Δω
Δt
Substitution: 0.060 rad/s2 = Δω
8.0s

Answer w/unit: 0.480 rad/s

 Example continues
A carousel is initially at rest. At t=0 it is given a constant
angular acceleration α=0.060rad/s2, which increases its
angular velocity for 8.0s. At t=8.0s, determine
b) the linear velocity of a child coated 2.5m from the
center, point P.
Given: r=2.5m, ω=0.48rad/s

Formula: v = rω

Substitution: v= (2.5m) (0.48rad/s)

Answer w/unit: 1.20 m/s

 Constant Angular Acceleration

The equations of motion for constant angular

acceleration are the same as those for linear motion, with
the substitution of the angular quantities for the linear
ones.
 Rolling Motion (Without Slipping)

In (a), a wheel is rolling without

slipping. The point P, touching the
ground, is instantaneously at rest, and
the center moves with velocity v.
In (b) the same wheel is seen from
a reference frame where C is at
rest. Now point P is moving with
velocity –v.
Relationship between linear and
angular speeds: v = rω
 Torque

To make an object start rotating, a force is needed; the

position and direction of the force matter as well.
The perpendicular distance from the axis of rotation to
the line along which the force acts is called the lever
arm.
 Torque

A longer lever arm is very helpful in rotating objects.

 Torque

Here, the lever arm for FA is the distance from the knob
to the hinge; the lever arm for FD is zero; and the lever
arm for FC is as shown.
 Torque

The torque is defined as:

 Example
Two forces (FA =20N and FB =30N) are applied to a
meterstick which can rotate about its left end. Force
FB is applied perpendicularly at the midpoint. Which
force exerts the greater torque: FA, FB, or both the
same?
 Example
Two forces (FA =20N and FB =30N) are applied to a
meterstick which can rotate about its left end. Force
FB is applied perpendicularly at the midpoint. Which
force exerts the greater torque: FA, FB, or both the
same?

The one with the greater arm will exert a greater torque
so FA is the answer.
 Rotational Dynamics;
Torque and Rotational Inertia

Knowing that F = ma, we see that τ = mr2α

This is for a single point mass; what about an extended
object?
As the angular acceleration is
the same for the whole object,
we can write:

( 2)
 Rotational Dynamics;
Torque and Rotational Inertia

The quantity I = Σmr2 is

called the rotational inertia
of an object.
The distribution of mass
matters here—these two
objects have the same mass,
but the one on the left has a
greater rotational inertia, as
so much of its mass is far
from the axis of rotation.
 Rotational Dynamics;
Torque and Rotational Inertia
The rotational inertia of an object depends not only on
its mass distribution but also the location of the axis of
rotation—compare (f) and (g), for example.
 Rotational Dynamics;
Torque and Rotational Inertia
 Solving Problems in Rotational Dynamics
1. Draw a diagram.
2. Decide what the system comprises.
3. Draw a free-body diagram for each object under
consideration, including all the forces acting on it and where
they act.
4. Find the axis of rotation; calculate the torques around it.
5. Apply Newton’s second law for rotation. If the rotational
inertia is not provided, you need to find it before proceeding
with this step.
6. Apply Newton’s second law for translation and other laws
and principles as needed.
7. Solve.
8. Check your answer for units and correct order of magnitude.
 Rotational Kinetic Energy

The kinetic energy of a rotating object is given by

KE = Σ(½ mv2)
By substituting the rotational quantities, we find that the
rotational kinetic energy can be written:
( 5)
A object that has both translational and rotational motion
also has both translational and rotational kinetic energy:
( 6)
 Rotational Kinetic Energy
When using conservation of energy, both rotational and
translational kinetic energy must be taken into account.
All these objects have the same potential energy at the
top, but the time it takes them to get down the incline
depends on how much rotational inertia they have.
 Rotational Kinetic Energy

The torque does work as it moves the wheel through an

angle θ:
( 7)
 Angular Momentum and Its Conservation

In analogy with linear momentum, we can define angular

momentum L:
( 8)

We can then write the total torque as being the rate of

change of angular momentum.
If the net torque on an object is zero, the total angular
momentum is constant.
Iω = I0ω0 = constant
 Angular Momentum and Its Conservation

Therefore, systems that can change their rotational

inertia through internal forces will also change their rate
of rotation:
 Summary of Chapter 8

• Angles are measured in radians; a whole circle is 2π

radians.
• Angular velocity is the rate of change of angular
position.
• Angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular
velocity.
• The angular velocity and acceleration can be related to
the linear velocity and acceleration.
 Summary of Chapter 8

• The frequency is the number of full revolutions per

second; the period is the inverse of the frequency.
• The equations for rotational motion with constant
angular acceleration have the same form as those for
linear motion with constant acceleration.
• Torque is the product of force and lever arm.
• The rotational inertia depends not only on the mass of
an object but also on the way its mass is distributed
around the axis of rotation.
 Summary of Chapter 8

• The angular acceleration is proportional to the torque

and inversely proportional to the rotational inertia.
• An object that is rotating has rotational kinetic energy.
If it is translating as well, the translational kinetic
energy must be added to the rotational to find the total
kinetic energy.
• Angular momentum is L = Iω
• If the net torque on an object is zero, its angular
momentum does not change.