Rotational Motion

Rigid Body

• A rigid bodyis an extended object whose size, shape, & distribution of

mass does not change as the object moves and rotates.
• Example: a CD
Rigid Object motion
Each point (P) moves in a circle with
the same centre.

Look at OP:When P (at radius,r) travels

an arc length ℓ, Op sweeps out angle
θ.
•Commonly, measure θ in degrees.
•Math of rotation: Easier if θ is measured in Radians
•1 Radian =Angle swept out

when the arc length = radius

•When l =r, θ=1 Radian
•θ in Radians is defined as:
θ = l/r
θ= ratio of 2 lengths (dimensionless)
Conversion between radians & degrees:
• θ for a full circle = 360°= (l/r) radians
• Arc length l for a full circle = 2πr
θfor a full circle = 360°= 2π radians
or 1 radian (rad) = (360/2π)°  57.3o
or 1°= (2π/360) rad 0.017 rad
 Torque (t)
• t makes an object starts to rotate or changes an object
rotational motion.
• The larger the rotation inertia, the more torque that is required
to make an object spin
• A force act on a point with a distance r from its center.
• Torque is a vector
• t= r F sin Ø= F d
• F is the force
• Ø is the angle the force makes with the horizontal
• D is the moment arm(or lever arm)

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 Relation of t and a for a particle with mass m, moving in
a circle with radius r when tangential force F is applied
to the circle:
t = r F sin q
= r F sin 90o (q = 90o)
=rF
but F = ma = m (ra)
F

t=rF r m
t = r (mra)
t = mr2a

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• Since mr2is the moment of inertia of the particle,
• t= Ia
• The torque is directly proportional to the angular acceleration and the
constant of proportionality is the moment of inertia
Translation and rotation motion
• Translational Motion:
Motion of the center of mass of an object from one position to
another.
All the motion discussed so far belongs to this category, except
uniform circular motion.
• Rotational Motion:
Motion of an object about an axis: e.g. a basketball spinning on your
finger, an ice skater
spinning on his skates, the rotation of a bicycle wheel. Uniform
circular motion is a special caseof rotational motion.