Rotation Notes

The first thing you need to know about rotation is that you can use
everything youve learned up to this point with different symbols. You have
all the physics knowledge already, you just need to make the analogy
between transitional motion and rotation. These notes assume the rotation
of a rigid body.
Rotational Kinematics

Rotational Kinematics is very similar to the kinematics weve already done.
The first new idea is that instead of using a distance that you can measure
in meters, we will think of our distance as an angle traveled in radians. Well
call this theta, symbolized by u. This angle is measured counterclockwise.

u
r


This means that angular velocity is the angle covered per unit time. Angular
velocity is a vector, and it follows the right hand rule. Curl your right hand in
the direction of motion and your thumb points in the direction of the angular
velocity.
e=
dt
du
average or constant angular velocity. Units: rad/s

likewise, angular acceleration is the change in angular velocity per unit time.
Its vector points in the same direction as the torque vector (later in these
notes)
o=
dt
de
average or constant angular acceleration. Units: rad/s
2

We can also relate the angular concepts to the tangential concepts of
distance, velocity and acceleration at some point by considering the distance
from the axis of rotation (center of the circle) to that point, r. In the case
when we want to solve for those concepts on the outside of the circle, r is
the radius of the circle.
d= ru v= re a= ro

Just so you dont get tricked, the total linear acceleration is both the
tangential acceleration and the centripetal acceleration.
r
We can now incorporate our knowledge of transitional motion to this new
concept of rotation with some constant acceleration equations.

Linear Rotational (angular)
V
ave
=
t
x
A
A
e
ave
=
t A
Au

a
ave
=
t
v
A
A
o
ave
=
t A
Ae

x
f
= x
0
+ v
o
t + at
2
u
f
= u
0
+ e
o
t + ot
2

v
f
= v
o
+ at e
f
= e
o
+ ot
v
f
2
= v
0
2
+ 2aAx e
f
2
= e
0
2
+ 2oAu
d= ru v= re a= ro

Of course, if you arent given a constant acceleration (meaning that there is
a time term in the accelration equation) you have to use calculus!

In that case:
Linear Rotational (angular)
v(t) =
dt
dx
= x(t) e(t)=
dt
du
= u(t)
a(t)=
dt
dv
= v(t) o(t)=
dt
de
= e(t)
x(t) =
}
dt t v ) ( u(t) =
}
dt t) ( e
v(t) =
}
dt t a ) ( e(t) =
}
dt t) ( o

Remember that when you integrate, you must add a constant + c to
determine the initial conditions like the initial (angular) velocity or the initial
(angular) distance.






Rotational Inertia

Rotational Inertia is the rotational analogue of mass. Just like mass
determines how easy it is to accelerate an object, rotational inertia
determines how easily an object can rotate. We find that with more mass,
the rotational inertia increases. The distribution of mass is also a
determining factor. For bodies of equal mass, the object that has mass
distributed farther from the axis of rotation will have the greater
rotational inertia.

The amount of rotational inertia, also known as the moment of inertia, I,
can be calculated in a few different ways.

It is often given to you as an equation, such I
hoop
=MR
2
where M is the mass
of the hoop and R is the radius of the hoop and you just need to plug in the
correct values.

Other times, however, you will need to find the equation.
For a body with discrete particles of mass, we can find I by summing up each
individual I with
I = E m
i
r
i
2

You can also use the parallel-axis theorem to find I for an object at some
arbitrary axis if you know its I when axis is along the center of mass.

I = I
cm
+ Mx
2

where I is the I about some arbitrary axis,
I
cm
is the I when the center of mass is taken as the axis
M is the mass of the entire system
X is the distance from the center of mass(old axis) to the new axis

This is called the parallel axis theorem because the new axis must be parallel
to I
cm





Rotational Dynamics

Torque is the rotational analogue to force. Force is a push or pull that
causes an acceleration. Torque is a twist that causes a rotational
acceleration.
t = r x F = r F sinu

where F is the force exerted, r is the distance from the force to the axis of
rotation and u is the angle between them. Basically, the cross product here
insures that you are using the component of force that is perpendicular to r.

To determine the direction of torque, which is vector, we use the right hand
rule that we would use for any cross products. Any torque that causes a
counterclockwise turn is positive (it will be in the positive z-axis) and a
torque that causes a clockwise turn is negative (it will be in the negative z-
axis). This makes sense because we measure +u as a counterclockwise angle.

We can add and subtract torques just like we have done with forces and use
an analogous equation to Newtons 2
nd
law.

Linear Rotational (angular)
E F = ma
E t = Io
t = r x F

It will often be necessary to use the torque equations along with forces and
FBDs, such as when you need to solve pulley problems where the pulley has a
mass.
Energy, Work, Power

Rotational Kinetic Energy is the energy due to the rotation of an object.
All of the equations that we have previously studied, like conservation of
energy and power still hold true.
Uo + Ko + W
other
= U
f
+ K
f

P=
dt
dW


Linear Rotational (angular)
K = mv
2
K = Ie
2
W =
}
F dx W =
}
t du
P = F- v P = t- e

A rolling object has both translational and rotational kinetic energy, so
K = mv
2
+ Ie
2


Angular Momentum
Angular Momentum is the rotational analogue to linear momentum. Like
torque, there are two ways to solve for it.

L = r x p = r p sin u

where p is the linear momentum, r is the distance from the force to the axis
of rotation and u is the angle between them. This is another cross product
that follows the right hand rule.

We can also use analogous equations to our linear momentum equations:
Linear Rotational (angular)
p = mv L = Ie
F =
dt
dp
t =
dt
dL

K =
m
p
2
2
K =
I
L
2
2

L = r x p

We know that linear momentum is conserved when there is no net external
force acting on the system. Likewise, angular momentum is conserved when
there is no net external torque acting on the system. The conservation of
angular momentum is particularly useful when there are collisions involved
with rotating objects.

L
0
= L
f
I
0
e
0
= I
f
e
f

or in cases with more than one object in a system,
I
10
e
10
+ I
20
e
20
= I
1f
e
1f
+ I
2f
e
2f

if those objects stick together:

I
10
e
10
+ I
20
e
20
= (I
1f
+ I
2f)
e
f