Lecture 7

Rotational Motion and Dynamics

 Outline
• Rotation motion
• Rolling motion
• Rotational kinematics
• Torque
• Conditions for equilibrium
 Rotational Motion
• An important part of everyday life
– Motion of the Earth
– Rotating wheels

Introduction
 Rigid Body
• Every point on the object undergoes
circular motion about the axis of
rotation.
• All parts of the object of the body
rotate through the same angle
during the same time
• The object is considered to be a
rigid body
– This means that each part of the body
is fixed in position relative to all other
parts of the body

Section 7.1
 Angular Motion
• Will be described in terms of
– Angular displacement, Δθ
– Angular velocity, ω
– Angular acceleration, α
• Analogous to the main concepts in linear
motion

Section 7.1
 Angular Displacement
• During time t, the
reference line moves
through angle θ
• The angle, θ, measured
in radians, is the
angular position
Arc length s
• θ (in radians) = =
Radius r
• 1 revolution = 2π rad = 360o

Section 7.1
 Angular Displacement
• The angular displacement
is defined as the angle the
object rotates through
during some time interval
• (In radian,rad)
• By convention, the angular
displacement is positive if it
is counterclockwise and
negative if it is clockwise.

Section 7.1
Example 1

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.

Ans:1.48x106 m
 Average Angular Speed/Velocity
• The average angular velocity, ω, of a rotating rigid
object is the ratio of the angular displacement to the
time interval

• SI unit: radians/sec (rad/s)

Section 7.1
 Instantaneous Angular Speed
• The instantaneous angular speed is defined as the
limit of the average speed as the time interval
approaches zero
lim ∆θ
ω≡
∆t → 0 ∆t
• Speed = positive if θ is increasing (counterclockwise)
• Speed = negative if θ is decreasing (clockwise)

Section 7.1
Exercise 2

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.
Example 3

The rotor on a helicopter turns at

an angular speed of 3.20x102
revolutions per minute.
(a) Express this angular speed in
radians per second.
(b) If the rotor has a radius of
2.00m, what arclength does
the tip of the blade trace out in
3.20x102 s?
Ans:(a)33.5 rad/s; (b)2.02x104m
 Average Angular Acceleration
• An object’s average angular acceleration αav
during time interval Δt is the change in its
angular speed Δω divided by Δt:

• SI unit: rad/s²

Section 7.1
 Instantaneous Angular Acceleration
• The instantaneous angular acceleration is
defined as the limit of the average
acceleration as the time interval approaches
zero
lim ∆ω
α≡
∆t → 0 ∆t

Section 7.1
 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics
Recall the equations of kinematics for constant
acceleration.

Five kinematic variables: v = vo + at

1. displacement, x
x= 1
2
(vo + v ) t
2. acceleration (constant), a

3. final velocity (at time t), v v = v + 2ax

2 2
o

4. initial velocity, vo
x = vot + at 1
2
2
5. elapsed time, t
 The Equations of Rotational Kinematics

The equations of rotational kinematics for constant

angular acceleration: ANGULAR ACCELERATION

ANGULAR VELOCITY

ω = ωo + α t

θ = 12 (ωo + ω ) t
TIME

ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT

ω 2 = ωo2 + 2αθ

θ = ωo t + α t
1
2
2
Example 4

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.
Ans: -16rad/s2
Example 5
A wheel rotates with a constant angular acceleration
of 3.50 rad/s2. If the angular speed of the wheel is
2.00 rad/s at t=0,
(a) Through what angle does the wheel rotate
between t=0 and t=2.00 s? Give your answer in
radians.
(b) What is the angular speed of the wheel at
t=2.00s?

Ans: (a)11rad; (b) 9.00rad/s

Exercise 6
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.

8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

r
v T = tangential velocity

vT = tangential speed
8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

θ
ω=
s rθ θ  t
vT = = = r 
t t t

vT = rω (ω in rad/s)
8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

ω − ωo
α=
t

vT − vTo (rω ) − (rωo ) ω − ωo

aT = = =r
t t t

aT = rα (α in rad/s ) 2
 8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

Example 7 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.
 8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

 rev  2π rad 
ω =  6.50   = 40.8 rad s
 s  1 rev 

vT = rα = (3.00 m )(40.8 rad s ) = 122 m s

 8.4 Angular Variables and Tangential Variables

 rev  2π rad 
α = 1.30 2   = 8. 17 rad s 2

 s  1 rev 

(
aT = rα = (3.00 m ) 8.17 rad s 2 = 24.5 m s 2)
According to Newton’s second law, a net force causes an
object to have an acceleration.

What causes an object to have an angular acceleration?

TORQUE
 Torque
• Torque, τ, is the tendency of a force to rotate an
object about some axis
v v v
τ = r × F = rF sin φ = Fd
F is the force
φ is the angle the force makes with the horizontal
r is the moment arm (or lever arm) of the force
 Torque

v
τ = rF sin φ
SI Unit of Torque: newton x meter (N·m)

The units for torque are reported in N.m and

not changed to Joules

The amount of torque depends on where and in what

direction the force is applied, as well as the location of
the axis of rotation.
• The unit for torque is N m.
• The unit for work is also N m which is
equivalent to Joule.
• However, the unit for torque, N m cannot
be converted to Joule.
Example 8

60o

A man applies a force of F = 300 N at an angle of 60o

to the door, 2.00 m from the hinges. Find the torque
of the door.

Ans: +520 Nm
 Net Torque
r
• The force F1 will tend to
cause counterclockwise
rotation about O

• The force will tend to

cause a clockwise rotation
about O
Στ = τ1 + τ2 = F1d1 – F2d2
•
If the magnitude of counterclockwise torque is
more, the rigid body rotates counterclockwise.
If the magnitude of clockwise torque is more, the
rigid body rotates clockwise.
 Torque and Equilibrium
First Condition of Equilibrium
– The net external force must be zero

– This is a statement of translational equilibrium

The Second Condition of Equilibrium states
– The net external torque must be zero

– This is a statement of rotational equilibrium

Example 9
Two disgruntled businesspeople
are trying to use a revolving door.
The woman on the left exerts a
force of 620 N perpendicular to the
door and 1.2 m from the hub’s
center, while the man on the right
exerts a force of 850 N
perpendicular to the door and 0.80
m from the hub’s center. Find the
net torque on the revolving door.

Ans: -64 Nm
Example 10
A woman of a mass m = 55.0 kg
sits on the left end of a seesaw
– a plank of length L = 4.00 m,
pivoted in the middle.
a. Where should a man of
mass M = 75.0 kg sit if the
system is to be balanced?
b. Find the normal force
exerted by the pivot if the
plank has a mass of mpl =
12.0 kg.
Ans: (a) 1.47 m; (b) 1.39 ×103 N
Example 11 (Beam)
Example 12 (Ladder)