Chapter 9

Rotation of Rigid Bodies

Lecture by Dr. Hebin Li

Goals for Chapter 9

Ø To describe rotation in terms of angular coordinate,

angular velocity, and angular acceleration
Ø To analyze rotation with constant angular acceleration

Ø To relate rotation to the linear velocity and linear

acceleration of a point on a body

Ø To understand moment of inertia and how it relates to

rotational kinetic energy
Ø To calculate moment of inertia

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Angular coordinate

Ø For an object rotating about a fixed X= r (USG

axis, the angle ! is a coordinate that Y =

using

represents the “position” of the object

in rotation. "
#
!
Ø The angle is given by
#
!=
$
Unit: radians (rad)
2% rad = 360o

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Units of angles

• An angle in radians is
q = s/r,
as shown in the figure.
• One complete revolution is
360° = 2π radians.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Angular displacement and velocity
• The angular displacement Dq of a
body is
Dq = q2 – q1.
• The average angular velocity of a
body is

wav-z = Dq/Dt.
• The subscript z means that the rotation
is about the z-axis.
• The instantaneous angular velocity is
wz = dq/dt.
• A counterclockwise rotation is
positive; a clockwise rotation is
negative. PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li
Angular velocity is a vector

• Angular velocity is defined as a vector whose direction is given by

the right-hand rule shown in the figure below.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Example

Example 1

A fly wheel is rotating at 1500 rpm, what is

the angular velocity in rad/s?
1500
. on so trad
a

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Angular acceleration

• The average angular acceleration is

aav-z = Dwz/Dt.
• The instantaneous angular acceleration is
az = dwz/dt = d2q/dt2.
PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li
Angular acceleration as a vector

• For a fixed rotation axis, the angular acceleration and

angular velocity vectors both lie along that axis.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Example
A child is pushing a merry-go-round. The angle through which the merry-go-round has turned varies with time
according to ! " = $" + &" ! .
(a) Calculate the angular velocity of the merry-go-round as a function of time.
(b) Calculate the angular acceleration as a function of time
(c) Calculate the instantaneous value of the angular velocity '" at " = 5.00 s and the average angular velocity
'#$%" for the time interval " = 0 to " = 5.00 s

a) we =

yet
"
=

6)a = 0 + 68t

4 34(5) 2 13ra0)
y
25
y
-

we(s) y
=
=
+ =
3825 158
-

=
+ = +

War =0 =
y
=
2 -

255 -

28

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Linear motion V.S. Angular motion (rotation)

$ !
∆$ ∆!
∆& ∆&
'! ("
)! *"

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Rotation with constant angular acceleration

• The rotational formulas have the same form as the

straight-line formulas, as shown in Table 9.1 below.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

 *

Example:
1. At t = 0 a grinding wheel has an angular velocity of 24.0 rad/s. It has a constant angular acceleration of 30.0
rad/s2 until a circuit breaker trips at t = 2.00 s. From then on, it turns through 432 rad as it coats to a stop at
constant angular acceleration.
(a) Through what total angle did the wheel turn between t = 0 and the time it stopped?
(b) At what time did it stop? W

(c) What was its acceleration as it slowed down?

Wz =
24
ray t= z

as
4 rad
zad " 452d
24 30(z
30vady wz +
a= =

0
-
t
2

84
rad/
=

6)
o =
Go +
Vot +
-at 4) a =-Wri t
20 =
Wp + w 0 =

G + Not +
] at
- "t B &
radis
-
.

=>
2
- =
Wot +

kat
-

- = 10 3
4 (2)
2
+
10012)2 = 10Brad so Hez
&
.

Storag
=

2610 .
2 =
12 6
..

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Relating linear and angular kinematics
• For a point a distance r from the axis of rotation:
its linear speed is v = rw ↓ Fro ,
vere

its tangential acceleration is atan = ra

its centripetal (radial) acceleration is arad = v2/r = rw2

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Rotational kinetic energy
• Consider a system with a large number of particles with masses
m1, m2, … at distances r1, r2, … from the axis of rotation, the
kinetic energy of the ith particle is

The total kinetic energy is

-v
= ru

which can be rewritten as

• The moment of inertia of a set of particles is

I = m1r12 + m2r22 + … = Smiri2
• The rotational kinetic energy of a rigid body having a moment of
inertia I is
K = 1/2 Iw2.
PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li
Moments of inertia of some common bodies
• Table 9.2 gives the moments of inertia of various bodies.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Calculating moment of inertia

In general, the moment of inertia of a body can be calculated by

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Example:
1. Four small spheres, each of which you can regard as a point of mass 0.200 kg, are arranged in a square 0.400 m
on a side and connected by light rods.
a. Find the moment of inertia of the system about an axis through the center of the square, perpendicular to its
* plane (an axis through point O in the figure).
b. Find the moment of inertia of the system about an axis bisecting two opposite sides of the square (an axis along
the line AB in the figure).
[ &
a 20
%
= (
↓(
+. 2
I-Em ri
·

2)
,
=

·
= 0
.
864 higme
·
08 = c
·
2 B . z or = C

C= -
6I
=
a +

=
2at :
[mivi +( 2) ( . 2)
=
.

a=
z =
.
082 Hyme

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

 Moment of inertia of a hollow or solid cylinder
• Follow Example 9.10 using Figure 9.22. for this shell

du : 2 Lrdu
= piv
dm
zapcrOr
=

F= Sr-m
=

Sa 2 pLrOr .

2Tp Sparod
=

zap2 j2
:
=

F =
Sudm
= APL(B24 B
-

,
M
pV
=

-
m =
piTh (R2 Rig -
Freifri
&

TR : R, (RatR j
·

L- ,

m
P
mcrith :/
=

Tri = πL(ri-Rig -

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li
Gravitational potential energy of an extended body

• The gravitational potential energy of an extended body is the same

as if all the mass were concentrated at its center of mass:

Ugrav = Mgycm.

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

More on an unwinding cable, example
We wrap a light, nonstretching cable around a solid cylinder with mass M and radius R. The cylinder rotates with
negligible friction about a stationary horizontal axis. We tie the free end of the cable to a block of mass m and release
the block from rest at a distance h above the floor. As the block falls, the cable unwinds without stretching or
slipping. Find expression for the speed of the failing block and the angular speed of the cylinder as the block strikes
the floor.

mgn
=
ImvMrie
v = Rw =
) w
=

IM
=> man =
Emu +

right I mu
y, Mr +

+M) mgh
0
-1 =

↑
mr
M
migh

I I we
* "m2W

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li

Example:
The pulley shown in the figure has radius 0.160 m and moment of inertia 0.560 kg!m2. The rope does
not slip on the pulley rim. Use energy methods to calculate the speed of the 4.00-kg block just before
its strikes the floor.

R= 0 16.

I 0 560
-I
=
.

R
+ mr Emen' + Ew
migh
+
migh =

"I
"
w
=
/m ,
-Mzlgh = m
,
v+ maV
- [m + Me

nigh
+
-

mi +m

PHY 2048, Dr. Hebin Li