Chapter 

9v1 – Rotation of Rigid Bodies
Problem 9.1
a. Rotational speed Ω rpm : Ω 2𝜋 rads in 60 s: 𝜔 .
b. 𝜃 𝜃 𝜔𝑡, so to rotate through an angle 𝜃 the propeller needs Δ𝑡 (take
𝜃 0).
/
c. 𝜔 195 rad/s; Δ𝑡 3.58 10 s 3.58 ms.

Problem 9.2
a. 𝜔 𝛾 3𝛽𝑡 .
b. At 𝑡 0 we have 𝜔 𝛾.
c. At 𝑡 𝑡 :𝜔 𝛾 3𝛽𝑡
𝜔av- ; use times 𝑡 𝑡 and 𝑡 0 to get 𝜔av- 𝛾 𝛽𝑡 .
The average of the instantaneous angular velocities at the beginning and end of the time
interval is 𝛾 3𝛽𝑡 𝛾 /2 𝛾 𝛽𝑡 which is larger than 𝜔av- because 𝜔 𝑡 is
increasing faster than linearly.
d. Putting in the numbers: 𝜔 0 0.428 rad/s;
𝜔av- 0.428 0.0100 3.50 0.551 rad/s;
𝜔 𝑡 𝜔 0 /2 0.428 0.0100 3.50 0.612 rad/s.

Problem 9.3
Apply the constant angular acceleration equations to the motion of the fan.
The units are a bit tricky here.
a. The sloppy way: express 𝜔 in rev/min, 𝛼 in rev/min , 𝑡 in min, and 𝜃 in revs:
𝛼 and since 𝛼 is constant: 𝛼 ;
The amount of revolutions is 𝜃 𝜃 𝜔 𝑡 𝛼 𝑡 𝜔 Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡

𝜔 𝜔 𝜔 Δ𝑡 𝜔 𝜔 Δ𝑡.
More thorough way: express 𝜔 in rad/s, 𝛼 in rad/s , 𝑡 in 𝑠, and 𝜃 in rad:
𝜃 𝜃 𝜔 𝜔 Δ𝑡;
number of revs: 𝑁 𝜔 𝜔 Δ𝑡.
b. 𝜔 𝜔 𝛼 Δ𝑡 0 so 𝜔 Δ𝑡 0 ⇒ Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡;
Extra time: Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡 Δ𝑡.
c. Sloppy:
Angular acceleration: 𝛼 4.64 10 rev/min 1.29 rev/s
. /
 .
Amount of revolutions: 𝑁 𝜃 𝜃 550 210 27.9.
Extra time: Δ𝑡 4.40 2.72 s.
Thorough:
𝛼 8.09 rad/s ;
.
𝑁 𝜔 𝜔 Δ𝑡 550 210 4.40 27.9;
Δ𝑡 4.40 2.72 s.

Problem 9.4
Apply 𝜔 𝜔 2𝛼 𝜃 𝜃 to relate 𝜔 to 𝜃 𝜃 .
From this equation, with 𝜔 0 the number of revolutions is proportional to the square of
the initial angular velocity.
a. So, tripling the initial angular velocity increases the number of revolutions by a factor 9,
so 𝑁 9𝑁
b. 𝑁 45.0 rev.

Problem 9.5
The linear distance the elevator travels, its speed and the magnitude of its acceleration are
equal to the tangential displacement, speed and acceleration of a point on the rim of the disk.
𝑠 𝑅𝜃 𝜃, 𝑣 𝑅 𝑅𝜔 and 𝑎 𝑅 𝑅𝛼.

a. 𝑣 𝑅𝜔 ⇒ 𝜔 ;Ω .
b. 𝛼 .
c. 𝜃 .
.
d. 𝜔 0.133 rad/s; Ω 0.133 1.27 rpm;
.
.
𝛼 0.817 rad/s ;
.
.
𝜃 2.20 rad 126°.
.

Problem 9.6
The linear acceleration of the bucket equals 𝑎tan for a point on the rim of the axle.

a. 𝑣 𝑅𝜔 so 𝑅 and 𝐷 .
tan
b. 𝛼 with 𝑅 :𝛼 𝑎𝜔/𝑣.
c. Putting in the numbers:
. . . /
𝐷 2 0.0509 m 5.09 cm; 𝛼 15.7 rad/s .
. / .
Problem 9.7
Use 𝐼 ∑ 𝑚 𝑟 . Treat the spheres as point masses and ignore 𝐼 of the light rods.

a. 𝑟 √2 ; use 𝐼 ∑𝑚 𝑟 4𝑀𝑟 8𝑀 2𝑀𝐿 .

b. 𝑟 use 𝐼 ∑𝑚 𝑟 4𝑀 𝑀𝐿 .

c. For two spheres 𝑟 0 and no contribution to 𝐼, other two spheres 𝑟 use

𝐼 ∑𝑚 𝑟 2𝑀𝑟 4𝑀 𝑀𝐿 .
d. Putting in the numbers:
𝐼 2 0.200 0.400 0.0640 kg ⋅ m ;
𝐼 0.200 0.400 0.0320 kg ⋅ m ;
𝐼 0.200 0.400 0.0320 kg ⋅ m .

Problem 9.8
Apply conservation of energy to the system of stone plus pulley. 𝑣 𝑅𝜔 relates the motion
of the stone to the rotation of the pulley. For a uniform solid disk, 𝐼 𝑀𝑅 . Let point 1 be
when the stone is at its initial position and point 2 be when it has descended the desired
distance. Let 𝑦 be upward and take 𝑦 0 at the initial position of the stone, so 𝑦 0 and
𝑦 ℎ , where ℎ is the distance the stone descends.

a. 𝐾 𝐼 𝜔 with 𝐼 𝑀𝑅 , rewrite to 𝜔 ;

the stone has kinetic energy 𝐾 𝑚𝑣 with 𝑣 𝑅𝜔 𝑅 ;

Use 𝐾 𝑈 𝐾 𝑈 which gives 0 𝐾 𝑈 𝐾 𝐾 𝑚𝑔 𝐻 𝐾
𝑚 𝑚𝑔𝐻 ⇔ 𝐻 1 2
b. 𝐾 𝐾 𝐾 the fraction is then 𝐹 .
c. Putting in the numbers:
. .
𝐻 1 2 0.494 m;
. . .
𝐹 . 0.455.
.