PHYS1025

Physics for Construction Economics

and Management Engineers

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Lecture Example-3:
A particular bird’s eye cannot distinguish objects that subtend an
angle smaller than 3×10−4 rad.
(a) How many degrees is this?
(b) How small an object can the bird just distinguish when flying at a
height of 100 m?
Answers:
(a) We know that 1 rad = 57.3°
So, 3×10−4 rad = 57.4°× 3×10−4 rad
= 0.0172°
(b) We know that q = l/r,
So, l = q×r
Smallest object subtends smallest distinguishable angle
So, l = 3×10−4 rad ×100 m = 3×10−2 m = 3 cm.

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Rotational Motion:
Angular Quantities:
Angular Displacement: Angular displacement is the value angle
traversed.
Δθ = θ2 – θ1

Recall: Linear displacement is defined as Dx = x2−x1.

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Rotational Motion:
Angular Quantities:
Angular Velocity: Angular velocity (rad/s) is defined as,

Note:
• All points in a rigid object rotate with the same angular velocity.
• Angular velocity is positive when the object rotates counter clock
wise and negative when it rotates clock wise (just a convention)

Recall: Linear velocity (m/s) is defined as v = Dx/Dt

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Lecture Example-4:
A rotating object covers 540 degrees in 5 seconds. What is its angular
velocity?

Answer:
We know that 360° = 2p rad
Thus, 540°= (2p×540)/360 rad = 3p rad = 9.42 rad
So, the angular velocity w = Dq/Dt = 9.42 rad/5 s = 1.88 rad/s

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Rotational Motion:
Angular Quantities:
Angular Acceleration: If the angular velocity (w) of a rotating
object changes, then the object, as a whole as well as each point on
it, has an angular acceleration (rad/s2) is defined as

Note:
• All points in a rigid object rotate with the same angular acceleration.
• Angular acceleration is positive when the object rotates counter clock
wise and negative when it rotates clock wise (just a convention)

Recall: Linear acceleration (m/s2) is defined as a = (v2-v1)/t = Dv/Dt

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Lecture Example-5:
The angular velocity of a rotating wheel under a constant angular
acceleration a changes from 5 rad/s to 35 rad/s in 10 seconds. What
is the value of a?
Answer:
We know that a = Dw/Dt
Here, Dw = (35-5) rad/s = 30 rad/s
Dt = 10 s
So, the angular acceleration a = (30 rad/s)/10 s = 3 rad/s2

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Rotational Motion:
Salient Points:
• Like in the case of linear motion all the points of a rigid object move
with the same linear velocity (v) and same linear acceleration (a), in
rotational motion all points in a rigid object rotate with the same
angular velocity (w) and same angular acceleration (a).

• Angular velocity/acceleration is positive when the object rotates

counter clock wise and negative when it rotates clock wise (just a
convention)

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Lecture MCQ-2 (20):
Two points P1 and P2 are located on a disc rotating with angular velocity
w and angular acceleration a at a distance r1 and r2, respectively, from
the centre/axis of rotation, where r2>r1. Which statement is correct?

Answer:
(a) Both points are going to experience different angular velocities as
well as different angular accelerations.
(b) Both points are going to experience same angular velocity and
same angular acceleration.
(c) Both points are going to experience different angular velocities,
where w2 > w1 but the same angular acceleration.
(d) Both points are going to experience the same angular velocity but
different angular accelerations where a2 > a1.

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Rotational Motion:
Relation between w and v:
• Along with angular velocity (w), each point
on a rotating object also has at any given
time a linear velocity (v).
• We can relate w with v.

Note:
• Linear velocity v is proportional to w and distance r from the axis of
rotation.
• Direction of linear velocity v is tangent to the circular path and keeps
changing as the object rotates.
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Lecture Example-6:
The angular velocity of an old phonograph music record is 0.5 rad/s.
There is one hole on its surface at a distance of 12 cm. What is the
magnitude of the hole’s linear velocity?
Answer:
We know that, v = rw
Here we have, w = 0.5 rad/s and r = 12 cm = 0.12 m
Thus, v = 0.12 m ×0.5 rad/s = 0.06 m/s = 6 cm/s

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Rotational Motion:
Relation between a and atan:
• As we know, if angular velocity (w) of a rotating object changes,
then the object has an angular acceleration (a). As a result, each
point on the object has a tangential acceleration atan.
• We can relate a with atan.

Note:
• Linear acceleration atan is proportional to a and distance r from the
axis of rotation.
• Direction of linear acceleration atan is tangent to the circular path and
keeps changing as the object rotates.
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Lecture MCQ-2 (20):
Two points P1 and P2 are located on a disc rotating with angular velocity
w and angular acceleration a at a distance r1 and r2, respectively, from
the centre/axis of rotation, where r2>r1. Which statement is correct?

Answer:
(a) Both points are going to experience different angular velocities as
well as different angular accelerations.
(b) Both points are going to experience same angular velocity and
same angular acceleration.
(c) Both points are going to experience different angular velocities,
where w2 > w1 but the same angular acceleration.
(d) Both points are going to experience the same angular velocity but
different angular accelerations where a2 > a1.

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Rotational Motion:
Salient Points:
• Although w and a (if there is one) are same for every point in the
rotating object at any given instant, linear velocity v and tangential
acceleration atan are different at different points of the object.
Their values depend upon their distance r from the axis of rotation.

B
Since, rB > rA; A

we have vB > vA and atan B > atan A

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Lecture Example-7:
The angular velocity of a rotating carousel under a constant angular
acceleration a changes from 0.5 rad/s to 4.5 rad/s in 2 seconds. What
is the value of the linear tangential acceleration of a child whose
horse is 2 m away from the axis of rotation?

Answer:
We know that a = Dw/Dt
Here, Dw = (4.5-0.5) rad/s = 4 rad/s
Dt = 2 s
So, the angular acceleration a = (4 rad/s)/2 s = 2 rad/s2

Thus, the tangential acceleration atan = ra = 2 m × 2 rad/s2 = 4 m/s2

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Rotational Motion:
Radial/Centripetal acceleration:
• Radial/Centripetal acceleration (aR) of any point in a rotating object
is defined as,

where r is distance of the point from the axis of rotation.

Note:
• The direction of aR is toward the center/axis
of rotation.
• Even if w is constant i.e. a = 0, each point on
the object has a centripetal acceleration.

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