Chapter 10
In purely rotational motion, all points on
Rotational Motion
10-1 Angular Quantities
For small angles, arc length and the chord
length (straight line) are nearly equal. For
an angle as large as 15°, the error in
making this estimate is only 1%.
10-1 Angular Quantities
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:
l
,
R
where l is the arc length.
1 rev = 360° = 2π rad
1 2
10-1 Angular Quantities
Example 10-1: A particular bird’s eye can
just distinguish objects that subtend an Angular displacement:
angle no smaller than about 3 x 10-4 rad.
(a) How many degrees is this? (b) How
small an object can the bird just The average angular velocity is defined
distinguish when flying at a height of 100 as the total angular displacement divided by
m? time:
Solution:
For (a) use the relation 2π rad = 360°.
For (b) use ℓ = Rθ to find the arc length.
The instantaneous angular velocity:
Answer: (a) 0.017°; (b) 3 cm.
Note: Had the angle been given in
degrees, we would first had to convert it
into radians to make this calculation.
Equation ℓ = Rθ is valid only if the angle
is in radians. 3 4
 10-1 Angular Quantities 10-1 Angular Quantities

Every point on a rotating

The average angular acceleration is: body has an angular velocity
ω and a linear velocity v.
Consider point P. The
magnitude of its linear velocity is
v = dℓ/dt. A change in rotation
angle dθ is related to the linear
The instantaneous angular acceleration: distance dℓ = Rdθ. Hence

v = dℓ/dt = R (dθ/dt)
or
Angular acceleration has units of rad/s2 .
v = Rω.

5 6

10-1 Angular Quantities 10-1 Angular Quantities

If the angular velocity of a rotating
object changes, it has a tangential
acceleration:
Objects farther from
the axis of rotation
will move faster.

v = Rω
Even if the angular velocity is constant, each point on the object
has a centripetal acceleration:

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 10-1 Angular Quantities 10-1 Angular Quantities

Example 10-3: Angular and linear velocities and

Here is the correspondence between linear and rotational accelerations.
quantities: A carousel is initially at rest. At t = 0 it is given a
constant angular acceleration α = 0.060 rad/s2,
which increases its angular velocity for 8.0 s. At
t = 8.0 s, determine the magnitude of the
following quantities:
(a)the angular velocity of the carousel;
(b)the linear velocity of a child located 2.5 m
from the center;
(c)the tangential (linear) acceleration of that
child;
(d)the centripetal acceleration of the child; and
(e)the total linear acceleration of the child.
9 10

10-1 Angular Quantities 10-1 Angular Quantities

Solution:
(a) ω2 = ω1 + αΔt = 0 + (0.60 rad/s2)(8.0 s) = 0.48 rad/s.
The frequency is the number of complete revolutions per
(b) v = ωR = (2.5 m)(0.48 rad/s) = 1.2 m/s
second:

(c) atan = Rα = (2.5 m)(0.60 rad/s2) = 0.15 m/s2

(d) aR = v2/R = (1.2 m/s)2 /(2.5 m) = 0.58 m/s2

Frequencies are measured in hertz:
(e) a = atan + aR

a = (a2tan + a2R)½ = {(0.15 m/s2 )2 + (0.58 m/s2)2}½ = 0.60

m/s2.
The period is the time one revolution takes:
θ = tan-1 (atan/aR) = tan-1 (0.15/0.58) = 0.25 rad.

NOTE The linear acceleration at this chosen instant is mostly centripetal,

keeping the child moving in a circle with the carousel. The tangential
component that speeds up the motion is smaller. 11 12
10-2 Vector Nature of Angular Quantities
The angular velocity vector points along the axis of rotation,
with the direction given by the right-hand rule.
If the direction of the rotation axis does not change, the
angular acceleration vector points along it as well.
10-3 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.

13 14

10-4 Torque 10-4 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 A longer lever arm is
along which the force acts is called the lever arm. very helpful in
rotating objects.

W (a) A tire iron too

can have a long lever
arm.

(b) A plumber can

exert greater torque
using a wrench with a
Top view of a door. Applying the same force with different lever long lever arm.
arms, RA and RB. If RA = 3RB, then to create the same effect
(angular acceleration), FB needs to be three times FA, or FA = 1/3 FB.
15 16
 10-4 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 (RC).
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10-5 Rotational Dynamics; Torque and Rotational Inertia
Knowing that F = ma, and
atan= Rα we see that F = mRα.
Multiply both sides by R:
RF = R(mRα)
R 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:
∑τi = (∑mi Ri2 )α
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10-4 Torque
The torque is defined
as:
τ = R⊥ F = RF⊥ .
Torque is measuered in
units of m·N in SI units.
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10-5 Rotational Dynamics; Torque and Rotational Inertia
The quantity I = ∑mi Ri 2 represents the rotational inertia of the
object and is called the moment of inertia. Thus
∑τ = Iα .
This is the rotational equivalent of Newton’s second law.
▲ The distribution of mass matters - A large-diameter cylinder has
greater rotational inertia than one of equal mass but smaller diameter.
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10-5 Rotational Dynamics; Torque and Rotational Inertia 10-6 Solving Problems in Rotational Dynamics

1. Draw a diagram. Decide what the system comprises.

W The rotational
2. Draw a free-body diagram for each object under consideration,
inertia of an
object depends including all the forces acting on it and where they act.
not only on its
mass distribution 3. Find the axis of rotation; calculate the torques around it.
but also the
location of the 5. Apply Newton’s second law for rotation..
axis of rotation—
compare (f) and 6. Apply Newton’s second law for translation and other laws and
(g), for example.
principles as needed.

7. Solve. Check your answer for units and correct order of

magnitude.

21 22

10-8 Rotational Kinetic Energy

Consider a rigid rotating object made up of many particles each of
Questions
mass mi Let Ri be the distance of i-th particle from the axis of
rotation. and
The kinetic energy of the rotating object is given by
K = ∑(½ mi vi 2) = ∑ (½ mi Ri2 ωi2) = ½ ∑ (mi Ri2) ωi2 . Problems
→ K = ½ I ω2 Rotational KE

A object that both translational and rotational motion also has both
translational and rotational kinetic energy:

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 Question 6 Question 11
Mammals (such as a gazelle) Why do tightrope walkers carry a long, narrow beam?
that depend on being able to run
faster have slender lower legs
with flesh and muscle
concentrated high, close to the
body. On the basis of rotational
dynamics, explain why this
distribution of mass is
advantageous.

Response: Running involves rotating the leg about the point where it is attached
to the rest of the body. Therefore, running fast requires the ability to change the
leg’s rotation easily. The smaller the moment of inertia of an object, the smaller
the resistance to a change in its rotational motion. The closer the mass is to the
axis of rotation, the smaller the moment of inertia. Concentrating flesh and A tightrope walker carries a long, narrow beam in order to increase his or her
muscle high and close to the body minimizes the moment of inertia and increases moment of inertia, making rotation (and falling off the wire) more difficult. The
the angular acceleration possible for a given torque, improving the ability to run greater moment of inertia increases the resistance to change in angular motion,
fast. 25 giving the walker more time to compensate for small shifts in position. 26

Problem 8 Problem 24
A rotating merry-go-round makes one complete revolution in 4.0 s. (a) What Calculate the net
is the linear speed of a child seated 1.2 m from the centre? (b) What is her torque about the
acceleration?
axle of the wheel.
Assume that a
friction torque of
0.40 m·N opposes
the motion.

Call anti- clockwise torques positive. The torque due to the three applied
forces is

The angular speed of the merry-go-round is 2π rad/4.0 s = 1.57 rad/s.
(a) v = ωr = (1.57 rad/s)(1.2 m) = 1.9 m/s.
(b) The acceleration is radial. There is no tangential acceleration.
aR = ω2r = (1.57 rad/s)2(1.2 m) = 3.0 m/s2 towards the centre.
τapplied forces = (28 N)(0.24 m) – (18 N)(0.24 m) – (35 N)(0.12 m) = - 1.8 m·N
Since this torque is clockwise, we assume the wheel is rotating clockwise,
and so the frictional torque is counterclockwise. Thus the net torque is
27 τnet = (28N)(0.24m) – (18N)(0.24m) – (35N)(0.12m) + 0.40 m·N = - 1.4 m·N
= 1.4 m·N clockwise.
 End ofProblem 30 #30
chapter problems
Determine the net torque on the 2.0 m long uniform beam.
Calculate about (a) point C, and (b) point P at one end.
Solution:
Take counterclockwise torques to be positive.
(a) τC = - (1.0 m)(56 N) sin 30°+ (1.0 m)(52 N)sin60°
= 17 m·N.
(b) τP = - (2.0 m)(56 N) sin 30°+(1.0 m)(65 N)sin45°
= - 10 m·N (2 sig. figs.)
The negative sign indicates a clockwise torque.
End ofProblem 33 #33
chapter problems
(a) The torque exerted by the frictional force is
τ = r Ffr sinθ . The force of friction is assumed to be
tangential to the clay, and so θ = 90°.
τtotal = rFfrsinθ = ½(0.12 m)(1.5 N)sin 90°= 0.090m·N
(b) The time to stop is found from ω = ω0 + αt
with a final angular velocity of 0. The angular
acceleration can be found from τtotal = Iα .The net
torque (and angular acceleration) is negative since
the object is slowing.
ω − ω0 ω − ω0 0 − (1.6 rev / s )(2π rad / rev)
t= = =
α τ /I (−0.090 m ⋅ N ) /(0.11 kg ⋅ m 2 )
End ofProblem 33 #33
chapter problems
A potter is shaping a bowl on a
potter’s wheel rotating at
constant angular speed. The
friction force between her
hands and the clay is 1.5 N
total.
(a)How large is her torque on
the wheel, if the diameter of
the bowl is 12 cm?
(b)How long would it take for
the potter’s wheel to stop if the
only torque acting on it is due
to the potter’s hand?
The initial angular velocity of
the wheel is 1.6 rev/s, and the
moment of inertia of the wheel
and the bowl is 0.11 kg·m2.
29 30
End ofProblem 46 #46
chapter problems
Two blocks are connected by a light string passing over a pulley of radius
direction of 0.15 m and moment of inertia I. The blocks move (towards the right) with
rotation
r an acceleration of 1.00 m/s2 along their frictionless inclines. (a) Draw FBD
for each of the two blocks and the pulley. (b) Determine FTA and FTB, the
Ffr tensions in two parts of the string. (c) Find the net torque acting on the
pulley, and determine its moment of inertia, I.
= 12 s.
31 32
 End ofProblem 46 #46
chapter problems End ofProblem 46 #46
chapter problems
Solution: r
r FTA
(a)The free body diagrams are shown. Note that only the (c) The net torque on the pulley is caused by the two tensions.We take clockwise
FN A
forces producing torque are shown on the pulley. There
y torques as positive.
would also be a gravity force on the pulley (since it has x
mass) and a normal force from the pulley’s suspension, θA
θA
but they are not shown. r
mAg ∑ τ = (FTB – FTA ) R = (75.71 N – 49.55 N)(0.15 m) = 3. 92 m·N
(b)
mA : ∑F x
= FTA − mA g sin θ A = mA a → r r Use Newton’s second law to find the rotational inertia of the pulley. The
FTA = mA ( g sin θ A + a ) FTA FTB tangential acceleration of the pulley’s rim is the same as the linear acceleration
( 2
)
= ( 8.0kg ) ⎣⎡ 9.80 m s sin 32° + 1.00 m s ⎦⎤ = 49.55 N
2
of the blocks, assuming that the string doesn’t slip.
r
≈ 50 N ( 2 sig fig ) FN B a
∑τ = I α = I R = ( F − FTB ) R →
r
y
∑ Fx = mB g sin θ B − FTB = mBa →
FTB
mB : TB

FTB = mB ( g sin θ B − a ) ( FTB − FTB ) R 2 ( 75.71N − 49.55 N )( 0.15 m )2

x I= = = 0.59 kg m 2
( )
= (10.0kg ) ⎡⎣ 9.80 m s2 sin 61° − 1.00 m s2 ⎤⎦ = 75.71N θB θB a 1.00 m s 2

r
≈ 76 N m Bg
33 34