PHY 101 (1st lecture)

Lecture Notes on Rotational Motion, Torque, Vector Product, Moment, and Rotation of
Coordinate Axes

By Dr. A.C. Adebisi

1. Rotational Motion

Rotational motion occurs when a body spins about an axis. Unlike translational motion where
objects move in a straight line, rotational motion describes objects rotating around a fixed point
or axis. Examples include the rotation of the Earth, wheels, and gears.

Key Concepts in Rotational Motion:

 Angular Displacement (θ): This is the angle through which an object rotates, measured
in radians. It is the rotational equivalent of linear displacement.
1 full revolution = 2πr/r = 2π radians.
1 rad = 57.30 = 0.159 rev.

As the position on the compact disc moves from (A) to (B), the disc rotate through the
angle:
  Angular Velocity (ω): The rate of change of angular displacement over time, which tells
us how fast an object is rotating.
o ω = Δθ / Δt

o average angular velocity

o Angular velocity can be either positive or negative, depending on the direction of
rotation.
o The instantaneous angular velocity ω of a rotating rigid object is the limit of the average
velocity Δθ / Δt as the time interval Δt approaches zero:

 Angular Acceleration (α): This is the rate of change of angular velocity.

o α = Δω / Δt.
o Units: radians per second squared (rad/s²).

Comparison between Linear and Rotational Motion:

Linear Motion Rotational Motion

Displacement (s) Angular displacement (θ)
Velocity (v) Angular velocity (ω)
Acceleration (a) Angular acceleration (α)
Force (F) Torque (τ)
Mass (m) Moment of inertia (I)

Example
2
The rotor on a helicopter turns at an angular velocity of 3.20 x 10 revolutions per minute. (a) Express this angular velocity in
2
radians per second. (b) If the rotor has a radius of 2.00 m, what arclength does the tip of the blade trace out in 3.00 x 10 s? (c)
The pilot opens the throttle, and the angular velocity of the blade increases while rotating twenty-six times in 3.60 s. Calculate the
average angular velocity during that time.

Solution 1
2. Torque

Torque is the measure of the rotational force applied to an object. Torques causes angular
acceleration. It is the rotational equivalent of force in linear motion and is responsible for
changing the rotational state of an object (i.e., starting or stopping its rotation, or changing its
rotational speed).
 

(a) (b) (c)

The magnitude of the force is given by

τ = rF

τ = r × F = rFsin(θ),

o where r is the distance from the axis of rotation to the point where the force is
applied,
o F is the applied force, and
o θ is the angle between the force and the position vector.

Torque depends on:

1. The magnitude of the force.

2. The distance from the point of force application to the axis of rotation.
3. The angle at which the force is applied.

The direction of torque is determined using the right-hand rule. Curl your fingers in the direction
of rotation, and your thumb points in the direction of the torque vector.

Torque in Static Equilibrium:

 If an object is in rotational equilibrium, the sum of all torques acting on it must be zero:
∑τ = 0.
 This is similar to the condition for translational equilibrium, where the sum of forces is
zero (∑F = 0).

Example:

Two disgruntled businesspeople are trying to use a revolving door (Fig. 2), which is initially at
rest. The woman on the left exerts a force of 625 N perpendicular to the door and 1.20 m from
the hub’s center, while the man on the right exerts a force of 8.50 x 102 N perpendicular to the
door and 0.800 m from the hub’s center. Find the net torque on the revolving door
Fig. 2

Solution:

3. Vector Product (Cross Product)

The vector product, or cross product, of two vectors results in a third vector that is perpendicular
to both. In rotational dynamics, the cross product is used to calculate torque and angular
momentum.

 Formula: A × B = |A||B|sin(θ) n,
o where A and B are vectors,
o θ is the angle between them,
o n is a unit vector perpendicular to both A and B.

Applications in Physics:

 Torque: τ = r × F
 Angular Momentum: L = r × p

The cross product gives both the magnitude and direction of the resulting vector. The right-hand
rule is used to determine the direction of the resulting vector.

Right-Hand Rule for Cross Product (Torque)

 Steps:
o Point your right hand’s index finger in the direction of the first vector (A).
o Point your middle finger in the direction of the second vector (B) (at a 90-degree
angle from your index finger).
o Your thumb will point in the direction of the cross product (A × B).
4. Moment

The term "moment" is used interchangeably with torque in many applications. In mechanical
systems, the moment refers to the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis.

Moment = Force × Perpendicular distance from the pivot point.

To calculate the moment (or torque) of a force about a point, we use the formula:

M=r×F

Moments are important in engineering, especially when dealing with beams, levers, and other
structures where forces cause rotation.
5. Rotation of Coordinate Axes

The rotation of coordinate axes involves transforming a set of coordinates from one frame of
reference to another, typically when the coordinate system is rotated by a certain angle θ. This
transformation is crucial in analyzing problems in mechanics where the axes may be aligned
differently than the object’s motion.

 Transformation Equations for a Rotation by Angle θ:

o If the coordinate axes are rotated counterclockwise by an angle θ, the new
coordinates (x', y') are related to the old coordinates (x, y) by:
 x' = x cos(θ) + y sin(θ)
 y' = -x sin(θ) + y cos(θ)
These transformations simplify the analysis of rotational problems by aligning the axis with the
motion of the object.

Assignment to be submitted on the 25/11/2024 by 12 noon.

a. A wheel rotates at 200 rpm. What is its angular velocity in rad/s?

b. A disk accelerates uniformly from rest to 300 rpm in 10 seconds. What is its angular
acceleration?
c. What is the difference between uniform and non-uniform circular motion?
d. A wheel starts from rest and accelerates uniformly at 2 rad/s² for 5 seconds. What is its final
angular velocity and the total angle it rotates through during this time?
e. A uniform rod of mass 2 kg and length 1 m is pivoted at one end. A force of 10 N is applied
perpendicularly to the rod at its other end. What is the angular acceleration of the rod?
f. Explain the concept of rotational equilibrium and its conditions.
g. Given vectors A = 3i + 4j - 2k and B = 2i - 5j + 3k, find the vector product A × B.