MODULE OF INSTRUCTION______________________________NSCI-6100 PHYSICS FOR ENGINEERS 1

Rotation
Course Learning Outcomes:
By the end of the module, students are able to:
1. Understand and define the different types of rotational motion;
2. Differentiate the types of rotary motion; and
3. Solve rotational motion problems using the formula.
Introduction
Rotation Without Translation
A body is said to have pure rotation about an axis if all its parts travel in
circular parts about this axis. The flywheel of an engine, the blades of an
electric fan, the hands of a clock, armatures of generators and motors are
examples of bodies in rotation. It will be helpful to keep in mind the laws and
principles of kinematics of translation.
Angular Concept of Rotary Motion
Just as a body in translatory motion occupies position, and acquires
displacement, velocity and sometimes acceleration, so does a body in rotary
motion. The difference is that while these are expressed in linear units in
translatory motion, in rotation they are expressed in angles, revolutions and
radians. The latter is more commonly used.
A radian is a plane angle subtended by an arc whose length is equal to the
radius.
A
R

O Ժ
B

Figure 1. Showing the definition of a radian; the number of radians in a circle.

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In figure 1, if the length of arc AB is equal to the radius OA then the angle a
equals one radian. Arc ABC by definition of a radian, subtends an angle of
𝒂𝒓𝒄 𝑨𝑩𝑪
radians. A circle has 𝟐𝝅𝑹 (circumference) linear units, R being the
𝑹𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒖𝒔 𝑶𝑨
𝟐𝝅𝑹
radius. In terms of radians there are or 𝟐𝝅 radians. In a semicircle there
𝑹
𝟑𝟔𝟎˚ 𝟏𝟖𝟎˚
are 𝜋 radians. In a circle there are 360˚, then one radian is equal to or
𝟐𝝅 𝝅
or 57.3˚.
From the above definition, then
s=𝑹𝒂 (1)
Where s is the length of the arc, R the radius of the arc, and a the angle of
radians.
Example:
A stone is tied at the end of a string 2 ft long and revolves 10 times in 1.5 sec.
what linear distance has the stone travel? How many radians does it make in
1 sec.?
Solution:
s = 𝟐𝝅𝑹𝐍 = 𝟐𝝅(𝟐)(𝟏𝟎) = 40𝝅 ft (total distance)

a = 𝟐𝝅𝑵 = 𝟐𝝅(𝟏𝟎) = 20𝝅 radians in 1.5 sec.

𝟐𝟎𝝅 𝟒𝟎
𝟏.𝟓
= 𝟑
𝝅 radians in 1 sec.

Angular Position, Displacement, Velocity and Acceleration

The angular position of a point or of a radius in rotation is referred to a fix
axis of reference as in Fig. 2. the angular displacement θ is the angle swept
over by a radius vector measured from its original position in Fig. 3. OA
occupies the first position 𝑎1 referred to OX and a second position 𝑎1 referred
to the same axis. Its displacement is
θ = 𝒂𝟏 - 𝒂𝟐 (2)
Angular displacement like linear displacement, is a vector and should be
treated as a vector. The direction of an angular displacement can be
determined by the right-hand rule. Imagine a body rotating about an axis. If

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the axis is grasped by the right hand in such a way that the fingers point to
the direction of rotation of the body, then the angular displacement will be
represented vectorially by a line and in the direction where the thumb point.
Figure 2. The angular position of a point

O Ժ
X

Angular velocity ω is the angular displacement covered per unit time. For
uniform angular motion or rotation,
𝟎
ω=𝒕 (3)

Figure 3. Angular displacement.

(Here the symbol ω is read “omega”).

Instantaneous angular velocity, as in translation, is the velocity at the given
instant.
∆𝜽
ω = ∆𝒕 as ∆𝒕 approaches 0,
𝒅𝜽
or ω = 𝒅𝒕 (4)

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Angular acceleration a is the rate of change of angular velocity. If ω𝑜 is the

initial angular velocity, ω𝑓 the final angular velocity in interval t, then the
change in angular velocity is (ω𝑓 - ω𝑜 ).

Then the average angular acceleration is

ω𝒇 - ω𝒐
a= (5)
𝒕

Instantaneous angular acceleration is

∆ω
a= as ∆𝒕 approaches 0,
∆𝒕
𝒅ω
or a = (6)
𝒅𝒕

The vector notation of angular velocity and angular acceleration can be

determined as in angular displacement, by the right-hand rule.
Types of Rotary Motion
In the study of translation, we have considered different kinds of motion. So,
in rotation different types maybe considered. One of them is uniform
rotation. In uniform rotation or uniform circular motion, the angular velocity
ω is constant both in magnitude and direction. An example of this type of
motion is the rotation of the hands of a clock. The hour hand of a clock has
𝟐𝝅 𝝅
angular velocity of or radians per hour.
𝟏𝟐 𝟔

In similar manner, the angular velocity of the minute hand and that of the
second hand can be computed. Just as in uniform translation, in uniform
rotation
𝟎
ω=𝒕 (7)

where ω is the uniform angular velocity, or average an angular velocity.

The other kind of rotary motion is uniformly accelerated rotary motion. In

this type of motion ω is not constant but there is a uniform rate of change
called angular acceleration a. Examples of such motion are: the rotation of
the armatures of an electric motor when the current is switched on. The
rotation of the flywheel of an engine when it constantly increases in the
velocity or when it is brought to rest by a constant torque:

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Since ω is a vector and can change in magnitude and direction, there results
two cases of uniformly accelerated rotary motion.
(1) One case is when ω changes in magnitude, direction being constant. For
this kind of rotation, the following equations are obtained, analogous to
those for translation:
ω𝒇 = ω𝒐 + 𝒂𝒕 (8)

ω𝟐𝒇 = ω𝟐𝒐 + 𝟐𝒂 θ (9)

𝟏
0 = ω𝒐 𝒕 + 𝒂𝒕𝟐 (10)
𝟐

Where:
ω𝒐 = initial angular velocity
ω𝒇 = final angular velocity

t = time interval from ω to ω𝒇

a = angular acceleration
θ = angular displacement
(2) The other case of uniformly accelerated rotary motion is when ω changes
in direction, magnitude being constant. The motion of a top with its axis of
rotation inclined from the vertical is an example. The rotation of a gyroscope
in some cases is another example. Such kind of motion is called precession.
In this motion, the angular acceleration is perpendicular to the direction of
the angular velocity. Precession is analogous to curvilinear translatory
motion.
Example:
The armature of a motor revolving at the rate of 1800 rpm comes to rest in
20 seconds after the current is shut off. Calculate the average angular
acceleration and the number of revolutions it has made in this time.
Solution:
−𝟑
1800 rpm = 30 r.p.s. a= rps/sec.
𝟐

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𝝎𝒐 = 30 r.p.s. = -3 π 𝒓𝒂𝒅/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐

𝝎𝒇 = 0; t = 20 sec. θ = 𝝎𝒐 + ½ 𝒂𝒕𝟐
𝟏 𝟑
𝝎𝒇 = 𝝎𝒐 + 𝒂𝒕 θ = (30)(20) - 𝟐 (𝟐) (𝟐𝟎)𝟐

0 = 30 + 20 a θ = 600 – 300 = 300rev.

The armature made 300 revolutions before it was brought to rest.
Central or Radial Acceleration
Figure 4. Central or Radial Acceleration of a particle moving around a circle.

Consider a particle A moving in a circle of radius r with uniform speed, Fig.4.

At A its linear or tangential velocity is v, tangent to the circle.
After a short time, interval ∆𝑡 at B its velocity is v’ tangent to the curve and
the particle has moved through an arc AB. For a short time, interval arc AB =
s = 𝑣∆𝑡 is almost equal to the chord AB. Subtracting v vectorially, ∆𝑣 is the
change in velocity. Triangle AOB and BRQ are similar. Since s = 𝑣∆𝑡,
∆𝑣 𝑣 ∆𝑣 𝑣2
= =
𝑣(∆𝑡) 𝑟 ∆𝑡 𝑟

∆𝑣
But = a, the rate of change of velocity. Therefore
∆𝑡

𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒓 = = 𝝎𝟐 𝒓 (11)
𝒓

Where 𝑎𝑟 is the central of radial acceleration of A and is in the direction of

∆𝑣 or toward the center of the curve as shown in fig. 4. While the body,
therefore executes rotary motion about a fixed axis, even if the speed is

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constant, or the angular acceleration is zero, different parts have linear

accelerations which are always directed toward the center and of
magnitudes given by Eq. 11.
The significance of this radial or central acceleration will be treated in the
study of dynamics.
Example:
What is the central acceleration of a car that runs along a curve of 500 feet
radius with a speed of 30 miles per hour?
𝟐𝟐
v = 30 (𝟏𝟓) = 44ft/sec.

𝒗𝟐 (𝟒𝟒)𝟐
a= = = 3.872 𝒇𝒕/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐
𝒓 𝟓𝟎𝟎

Tangential Acceleration
It is shown in the central and radial acceleration that a particle in rotation
acquires a radial acceleration given by Eq.11.
𝒗𝟐
𝒂𝒓 = = 𝝎𝟐 𝒓 (11)
𝒓

In the types of rotary motion, the equations for uniformly accelerated rotary
motion were derived. When a particle is in uniform rotation, the angular
acceleration is zero, but there is still a radial acceleration given by Eq.11.
However, if a particle is in uniformly accelerated rotary motion, besides the
𝒗𝟐
radial acceleration (𝒂𝒓 = ), there is also an acceleration along the circular
𝒓
path called tangential acceleration. The magnitude of this tangential
acceleration is
𝒂𝒕 = ar (12)

where a is the angular acceleration in𝒓𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒔/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐 . This tangential

acceleration is perpendicular to the radial acceleration.
Therefore, the resultant acceleration of a particle that is uniformly
accelerated around a circle is

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a = √𝒙𝒚𝟐 + 𝒂𝟐 𝒕

a = √(𝝎𝟐 𝒓)𝟐 + 𝒂𝟐 𝒓𝟐

since 𝒂𝒕 = 𝒂𝒓 and 𝒂𝒓 = 𝒗𝟐 ⁄𝒓 = 𝝎𝟐 𝒓 (13)

Example:
A wheel 20cm radius starts from rest and rotates about a horizontal axis
through the center with a constant angular acceleration of 0.5 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛/𝑠𝑒𝑐 2.
A point on the circumference is directly at the right of the center of the wheel.
At the end of 2 seconds, (a) find the angular displacement of the point; (b) its
radial acceleration; (c) its tangential acceleration; (d) its resultant
acceleration.
Solution:
a) θ = 𝝎𝒐 𝒕 + 𝒂𝒕 = 𝟎 + (𝟎. 𝟓)𝟐 = 𝟏 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧
𝒓𝒂𝒅𝟐
b) 𝒂𝒓 = 𝝎𝟐 𝒓; 𝝎𝟐 = 𝝎𝒐 + 𝟐𝒂𝟎 = 𝟎 + 𝟐 (𝟎. 𝟓)𝟏 = 𝟏 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐

𝒂𝒓 = 𝟏(𝟐𝟎) = 𝟐𝟎 𝒄𝒎/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐
c) 𝒂𝒕 = 𝒂𝒓 = (𝟎. 𝟓)(𝟐𝟎) = 𝟏𝟎 𝒄𝒎/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐

d) 𝒂 = √𝒂𝒓𝟐 + 𝒂𝒓𝟐 = √(𝟐𝟎)𝟐 + (𝟏𝟎)𝟐 = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟒 𝒄𝒎/𝒔𝒆𝒄𝟐

Translation and Rotation Compared

Uniformly, accelerated translation and uniformly accelerated rotation arc
governed by the same principles of kinematics. For the purpose of
comparison between the two a table of symbols and equations are tabulated
below.
TRANSLATION
𝒗𝒇 + 𝒗𝒐
̅=
𝒗
𝟐

𝒗𝒇 = 𝒗𝒐 + 𝒂𝒕

𝒗𝒇𝟐 = 𝒗𝒐𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂𝒔

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𝟏
𝒔= + 𝒂𝒕𝟐
𝟐

ROTATION
𝝎𝒇 +𝝎𝒐
𝝎= 𝟐

𝝎𝒇 = 𝝎𝒐 + 𝒂𝒕

𝝎𝒕 𝟐 = 𝝎𝒐𝟐 + 𝟐𝒂 𝜽
𝟏
𝜽 = 𝝎𝒐 𝒕 + 𝒂𝒕𝟐
𝟐

The equation of conversion from angular to linear units or vice versa are:
𝒗 = 𝝎𝒓
𝒂 =𝒂𝒓
𝒔 = 𝜽𝒓 (14)
In the study of dynamics in the next topic, a comparison between the two
will again be shown.

References:
A Committee on Physics (1962). College Physics. Published by Royal Publishing
House INC., Quezon City, Philippines.

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