Rotation of a Rigid Object

About a Fixed Axis

1
Angular Position, Velocity,
and Acceleration
• A compact disc rotating about a fixed axis through O perpendicular to
the plane of the figure.
• In order to define angular position for the disc, a fixed reference line
is chosen. A particle at P is located at a distance r from the rotation
axis at O.
• As the disc rotates, point P moves through an arc length s on a
circular path of radius r.

2
• A particle on a rotating rigid object moves from A to B along the arc of
a circle. In the time interval Δt = tf - ti , the radius vector moves
through an angular displacement Δθ = θf - θi.
• Average angular speed

• Instantaneous angular speed

3
• If the instantaneous angular speed of an object changes from ωi to ωf
in the time interval Δt, the object has an angular acceleration. The
average angular acceleration of a rotating rigid object is defined as the
ratio of the change in the angular speed to the time interval Δt during
which the change in the angular speed occurs:

• every particle on the object rotates through the same angle in a given
time interval and has the same angular speed and the same angular
acceleration.

4
Rotational Kinematics: Rotational Motion
with Constant Angular Acceleration
• Table below suggest that rotational kinematics is just like translational
kinematics. That is almost true, with two key differences:
– in rotational kinematics, you must specify a rotation axis
– in rotational motion, the object keeps returning to its original orientation— thus,
you may be asked for the number of revolutions made by a rigid object. This
concept has no meaning in translational motion, but is related to Δθ, which is
analogous to Δx.

5
Angular and Linear Quantities
• As a rigid object rotates about the fixed axis through O, the point P
has a tangential velocity v that is always tangent to the circular path
of radius r.

6
Rotational Kinetic Energy
• A rigid object rotating about the z axis with angular speed ω. The
kinetic energy of the particle of mass mi is.

• The total kinetic energy of the object is called its rotational kinetic
energy.

Moment of inertia 7
8
Calculation of Moments of Inertia

• We can evaluate the moment of inertia of an extended rigid object by

imagining the object to be divided into many small volume elements,
each of which has mass Δmi.

• It is usually easier to calculate moments of inertia in terms of the

volume of the elements rather than their mass

9
 example
• Calculate the moment of inertia of a uniform rigid rod of length L and
mass M about an axis perpendicular to the rod (the y axis) and
passing through its center of mass.

10
• A uniform solid cylinder has a radius R, mass M, and length L.
Calculate its moment of inertia about its central axis

11
Parallel-axis theorem

• Suppose the moment of inertia about an axis through the center of

mass of an object is ICM. The parallel-axis theorem states that the
moment of inertia about any axis parallel to and a distance D away
from this axis is

12
13
Torque

• The force F has a greater rotating tendency about O as F increases

and as the moment arm d increases. The component F sin Φ tends
to rotate the wrench about O.

14
• The force F1 tends to rotate the object counterclockwise about O,
and F2 tends to rotate it clockwise.
• We use the convention that the sign of the torque resulting from a
force is positive if the turning tendency of the force is
counterclockwise and is negative if the turning tendency is clockwise.

15
 Relationship Between Torque
and Angular Acceleration
• A rigid object rotating about an axis through O. Each mass element
dm rotates about O with the same angular acceleration α, and the
net torque on the object is proportional to α.

16
example

• A uniform rod of length L and mass M is attached at one end to a

frictionless pivot and is free to rotate about the pivot in the vertical
plane, as in figure. The rod is released from rest in the horizontal
position. What is the initial angular acceleration of the rod and the
initial linear acceleration of its right end?

17
Work, Power, and Energy
in Rotational Motion
• A rigid object rotates about an axis through O under the action of an
external force F applied at P.

18
• Power delivered to a rotating rigid object

• Work–kinetic energy theorem for rotational motion

19
20
example
• A uniform rod of length L and mass M is free to rotate on a
frictionless pin passing through one end. The rod is released from
rest in the horizontal position. What is its angular speed when it
reaches its lowest position?

21
Rolling Motion of a Rigid Object

• For pure rolling motion, as the cylinder rotates through an angle θ, its
center moves a linear distance s = Rθ

22
• All points on a rolling object move in a direction perpendicular to an
axis through the instantaneous point of contact P. In other words, all
points rotate about P. The center of mass of the object moves with a
velocity vCM, and the point P’ moves with a velocity 2vCM.

Total kinetic energy of a rolling object

23
• The motion of a rolling object can be modeled as a combination of
pure translation and pure rotation.
• Total kinetic energy of a rolling object is the sum of the rotational
kinetic energy about the center of mass and the translational kinetic
energy of the center of mass.

24
 example

• A sphere rolling down an incline.

25
• A spacecraft carries a gyroscope that is not spinning. (b) When the
gyroscope is set into rotation, the spacecraft turns the other way so
that the angular momentum of the system is conserved.

example 26
 example

• Three objects of uniform density—a solid sphere, a solid cylinder,

and a hollow cylinder—are placed at the top of an incline. They are
all released from rest at the same elevation and roll without slipping.
Which object reaches the bottom first? Which reaches it last?

27
• The speed of a moving bullet can be determined by allowing the
bullet to pass through two rotating paper disks mounted a distance d
apart on the same axle. From the angular displacement Δθ of the
two bullet holes in the disks and the rotational speed of the disks, we
can determine the speed v of the bullet. Find the bullet speed for the
following data: d = 80 cm, ω = 900 rev/min, and Δθ = 31.0°.

quiz
28