Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Cordillera Administrative Region
Division of Baguio City
BAGUIO CITY HIGH SCHOOL
Governor Pack Road, Baguio City

GENERAL SCIENCE QUARTER l

Grade 11

TRANSLATIONAL AND ROTATIONAL MOTION

LEARNING COMPETENCIES:
a. Compare and contrast translational and rotational motion in terms of their respective linear and
angular quantities;
b. Demonstrate through simple activities the relationship between linear and angular quantities;
human movement (e.g., exercises, dance, and gymnastics), and ergonomic designs (e.g.,
buildings, vehicles, furniture, and toys);

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Compare and contrast translational and rotational motion by identifying and explaining their
respective linear and angular quantities.
2. Demonstrate the relationship between linear and angular quantities through simple hands-on
activities through human movements like exercises, dance, or gymnastics.
3. Analyze how principles of translational and rotational motion apply to real-world ergonomic.

Motion
Motion is defined as a change in a person’s position with regard to time. By identifying the
change in positional coordinates and then associating it through the eye of an arbitrary
observer, any object in motion can be perceived with the naked eye. Motion can be expressed
in terms of both position vectors, such as displacement and distance, as well as speed factors,
such as velocity, acceleration, speed and time.
Motion is a fundamental concept in physics, and it can be classified into different types based
on how an object moves. There are two most common types of motion: translational and
rotational motion.
• Translational motion
- occurs when an object moves from one place to another in a straight or
curved path without rotating. It is a type of motion that can be seen or
experience in everyday activities like a car moving on a road or a person
walking.
- A body is considered to be experiencing translational motion when it is
shifted or moved from one location to another. It is the motion of a moving
body in which all of its points move in the same path or direction. There is no
Reference:
This material has been developed based on the K-12 Curriculum through DepEd-CAR Regional Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet - Curriculum
and Learning Management Division
Guillermo, J.A. (2025). Translational and Rotational Motion. Learner’s Module in General Science. DepEd CAR: Regional Learning Resources
Management Section
 change in an object’s direction relative to a fixed point when it is undergoing
translational motion.
- In this sort of motion, all locations of the body have the same magnitude
and direction of velocities and accelerations at all times. The trajectories of all
the points are the same. This means that when trajectories are stacked one
on top of the other, they will coincide. In essence, the body’s orientation is
fixed in relation to a single axis.

• Rotational motion
- happens when an object spins around a fixed axis without changing its
overall position. Examples are: a spinning wheel, a rotating fan, or the Earth’s
rotation around its axis.
- It can also be defined as the motion of a body, in which all of its particles
move in a circular motion with a common angular velocity, about a fixed point
- Rotational motion is the change of position of an object with respect to its
surrounding on a circular path.

Example
o When you ride the bike, the
bike moves forward – it is
translational motion
o When the wheels spin, they
rotate around their axle – it is https://www.freepik.com/premium-vector/man-woman-riding-bicycles-happy-people-
rotational motion outdoor_40059583.html

CATEGORY TRANSLATIONAL MOTION ROTATIONAL MOTION

Type of Motion Moving in a straight line or Spinning or turning around a

along a path point or axis

Example A car driving on the road A ceiling fan spinning

Position How far you've moved How much you've turned (angle,
like degrees or
(distance, like meters)
radians)

Velocity (Speed) How fast you're moving How fast you're spinning
(degrees or radians per second)
(meters per second)

Acceleration How quickly your speed How quickly your spinning speed
changes changes
Reference:
This material has been developed based on the K-12 Curriculum through DepEd-CAR Regional Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet - Curriculum
and Learning Management Division
Guillermo, J.A. (2025). Translational and Rotational Motion. Learner’s Module in General Science. DepEd CAR: Regional Learning Resources
Management Section
 Mass/Inertia Mass is how heavy Moment of inertia is how hard it
is to spin something
something is

Force/Torque A push or pull makes things A twist or turn makes things spin
move (force) (torque)

Kinetic Energy KE=1/2 mv2 KE=1/2 Iω2

Cause of motion Net external force Net external torque

Similarities Between Translational and Rotational Motion

o Both have quantities: distance, velocity, acceleration, momentum, and energy.
o Both obey Newton’s laws in their respective forms.
o Both involve resistance to changes in motion
o inertia: linear motion
o moment of inertia: rotational motion
Differences Between Translational and Rotational Motion
o Translational motion concerns movement from one location to another, while rotational
motion is around a fixed axis.
o In translational motion, force causes acceleration, while in rotational motion, torque
causes angular acceleration.
o The role of mass in translational motion is analogous to moment of inertia in rotational
motion.
Examples of Translational motion
o A car or a train moving along a road.
o A ball rolling on the ground.
o A girl sliding down a slope.
o Pulling out a drawer of a table.
o Firing of a bullet from a gun.
o A stone hurled from a sling or catapult.
Examples of Rotational motion
o Earth rotating about its axis
o Subatomic particles rotating in a cyclotron
o A skater exhibiting rotation during her routine
o A wheel rolling down a hill
o A football spinning in its trajectory
o A phonograph’s turntable rotating about a pin
o A potter’s wheel rotating about its center
Principles of translational and rotational motion are crucial for understanding ergonomics, which
is the science of designing tools and environments to optimize human-machine interaction and
reduce strain. Translational motion (movement in a straight line) influences how objects are

Reference:
This material has been developed based on the K-12 Curriculum through DepEd-CAR Regional Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet - Curriculum
and Learning Management Division
Guillermo, J.A. (2025). Translational and Rotational Motion. Learner’s Module in General Science. DepEd CAR: Regional Learning Resources
Management Section
moved and lifted, while rotational motion (movement around an axis) affects how tools are used
and how joints move during work tasks.
Translational Motion in Ergonomics:
a. Lifting and Moving Objects: Understanding how forces and momentum translate
during lifting and moving objects is vital for designing work environments and tools that
minimize risk of injury. Proper lifting techniques, such as keeping the back straight and
using leg muscles instead of the back, are based on applying translational motion
principles.
b. Workstation Design: The layout of a workstation should consider the need for easy and
safe movement of objects. For example, materials should be within easy reach, and
storage should be designed to facilitate efficient retrieval and placement.
c. Material Handling: Ergonomic principles are applied to material handling tools and
equipment, such as forklifts and conveyors, to ensure they are designed to minimize the
physical demands on workers.
Rotational Motion in Ergonomics:
a. Joint Movements: Ergonomics considers how rotational movements of joints, such as
shoulder, elbow, and wrist movements, affect the musculoskeletal system. Repetitive or
awkward movements can lead to pain and injury, so it's important to design tasks that
minimize these risks.
b. Tool Design: The design of tools, such as screwdrivers and wrenches, should facilitate
comfortable and efficient use without causing excessive twisting or turning of the wrists
and elbows.
c. Workstation Posture: A properly designed workstation can help maintain neutral body
positions and prevent excessive rotational strain on the spine and other joints.
d. Workplace Design: The layout of the workplace can impact the movement patterns of
workers. For example, minimizing the need for twisting or reaching can reduce the risk of
musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
References:
Halliday, David, Robert Resnick, and Jearl Walker. Fundamentals of Physics. 10th ed. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2014.

Smith, John D. “Analysis of Translational and Rotational Motion in Classical

Mechanics.” Journal of Physics Education 45, no. 3 (2013): 215–28.

University of California, Berkeley. “Rotational and Translational Motion.” Last modified January 15, 2020.

https://physics.berkeley.edu/research/rotational-translational-motion.

Unacademy. “Translational Motion and Rotational Motion.” Unacademy. Accessed June 10, 2025.

https://unacademy.com/content/neet-ug/studymaterial/physics/translational-motion-and-rotational-motion/.

Vedantu. “Difference Between Translational and Rotational Motion.” Vedantu. Accessed June 10, 2025.

https://www.vedantu.com/neet/differencebetween-translational-and-rotational-motion.

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/901775525357470614/
123RF. "Beauty Girl Cartoon Standing with Sweeping Floor." Photo. Accessed June 10, 2025.

https://www.123rf.com/photo_94027880_beauty-girl-cartoonstanding-with-sweeping-floor.html.
Reference:
This material has been developed based on the K-12 Curriculum through DepEd-CAR Regional Office, Wangal, La Trinidad, Benguet - Curriculum
and Learning Management Division
Guillermo, J.A. (2025). Translational and Rotational Motion. Learner’s Module in General Science. DepEd CAR: Regional Learning Resources
Management Section