STUDY
GUIDE CIRCULAR & ROTATIONAL MOTION
Circular vs Rotational Motion
Circular Motion Rotational Motion
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ROTATIONAL MOTION ROTATIONAL MOTION
33 1/3 RPM
SIDE A 33 1/3 RPM
STEREO
STEREO SIDE A
1. Angular position
1. Angular position
2. Angular displacement
2. Angular displacement
3. Angular speed and velocity
3. Angular speed and velocity
4. Angular acceleration
4. Angular acceleration
• Object travels along a circular path (circumference of • Object rotates about its own center (a point or axis
a circle whose center lies outside of the object). that passes through the object).
• A point on a rotating object is in circular motion. • Typically uses the angular description of motion.
• Typically uses the tangential description of motion. • All points on the object have the same angular motion.
Circular Motion (Tangential Description)
Variables SI Unit
40 30
50 s tangential position m
20 s
+s (m)
C Δs tangential displacement m
10 r
m
vt tangential velocity
s
0
m
at tangential acceleration
s2
-10
C 2 r
-s (m)
-20
-50 -30
-40 1
sf si v ti t a tt 2
2
Δs Δv t
vt at
Δs sf si Δt Δt v tf2 v ti2 2 a t( s f si)
Tangential Tangential Tangential Kinematic equations with
displacement velocity acceleration constant acceleration
• Circular motion typically uses the tangential desciption of motion.
• The value of the position will continue to increase past 1 revolution (or decrease in the negative direction).
• Tangential motion is sometimes referred to as the “linear” motion of an object in circular motion because the
displacement, velocity and acceleration are directed along a tangent line.
Direction of motion
at an instant in time
Tangent lines
Tangent line
• At a point on a curve, the tangent line passing through • For an object in circular motion, the
it matches the curvature or “slope” of the curve. instantaneous direction of the motion
• For a circle, a tangent line only touches one point. is always tangent to the circle.
Circular & Rotational Motion - Study Guide Page 1 of 2
Rotational Motion (Angular Description)
3π Variables SI Unit
4π 6 2π 90°
6 6 120° 60° θ angular position rad
+θ (rad) +θ(°)
π 30°
Δθ angular displacement rad
6
ω angular velocity rad
s
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ROTATIONAL MOTION ROTATIONAL MOTION
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0 33 1/3 RPM
SIDE A
0° rad
angular acceleration
STEREO SIDE A STEREO
s2
1. Angular position 1. Angular position
2. Angular displacement 2. Angular displacement
3. Angular speed and velocity 3. Angular speed and velocity
4. Angular acceleration 4. Angular acceleration
-π θ ω revolutions
6 -30° RPM:
-θ (rad) -θ(°) “theta” “omega” “alpha” minute
-4π -2π -120° -60°
6 -3π 6 -90°
6 1 2
θf θi ωit t
2
Δθ Δω
ω
Δθ θf θi Δt Δt ω f2 ω i2 2 ( θf θi )
Angular Angular Angular Kinematic equations with
displacement velocity acceleration constant acceleration
• Rotational motion typically uses the angular description of motion.
• Can also be used to describe the angle that is “swept out” by an object in circular motion.
• All points on a rotating object have the same angular motion because they rotate together (but they may have
different tangential motions depending on their distance from the center).
• The value of the position will continue to increase past 1 revolution (or decrease in the negative direction).
Converting Between Tangential & Angular Descriptions
Conversion
(Angular variable must use radians)
Tangential description Angular description
s
θ
C r Position: s m s rθ θ rad
Displacement: Δs sf si m Δs r Δθ Δθ θf θi rad
Circumference: C 2 r Δs m Δθ rad
Velocity: vt s vt rω ω s
Δt Δt
1 circumference 2 π radians
1 circumference 360° Δv t m Δω rad
Acceleration: at at r
1 circumference 1 revolution Δt s2 Δt s2
1 circumference 1 cycle
2π
30 4
40 20 3π π
4 4
• In some cases, we need to convert from 50 10
one description to another.
• This conversion is based on the definition 60 0 π 0
of a radian, or the relationship between s (m) θ (rad)
the circumference and the number of 70 110
radians in a circle. 5π 7π
80 100 4 4
90 6π
4
Circular & Rotational Motion - Study Guide Page 2 of 2