Mechanics
Rotational Equilibrium and
Rotational Dynamics II
Rotational Kinetic
Energy
Moment of Inertia
Torque
Newton 2nd Law for
Rotational Motion:
Torque and angular
acceleration
Februaryl 3, 2011
Rotational Kinetic Energy
There is an analogy between the kinetic
energies associated with linear motion (K =
½ mv 2) and the kinetic energy associated
with rotational motion (KR= ½ I2)
Rotational kinetic energy is not a new type
of energy, the form is different because it is
applied to a rotating object
Units of rotational kinetic energy are Joules
(J)
Februaryl 3, 2011
Moment of Inertia of Point
Mass
For a single particle, the definition of
moment of inertia is 2
I mr
m is the mass of the single particle
r is the rotational radius
SI units of moment of inertia are kg.m2
Moment of inertia and mass of an object
are different quantities
It depends on both the quantity of
matter and its distribution (through the
r2 term)
Februaryl 3, 2011
Moment of Inertia of Point
Mass
For a composite particle, the definition of
moment of inertia
2
is 2 2 2 2
I mi ri m1r1 m2 r2 m3 r3 m4 r4 ...
mi is the mass of the ith single particle
ri is the rotational radius of ith particle
SI units of moment of inertia are kg.m2
P m
m P m cm
cm cm m
P m m L
L/2
L L/2
Februaryl 3, 2011
Moment of Inertia of Extended
Objects
Divided the extended objects into many small
volume elements, each of mass mi
We can rewrite the expression for I in terms of
m
I mi lim0 ri 2 mi r 2dm
i
With the small
I volume
dV segment assumption,
2
r
If is constant, the integral can be evaluated
with known geometry, otherwise its variation
with position must be known
Februaryl 3, 2011
Moment of Inertia for some
other common shapes
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Parallel-Axis Theorem
In the previous examples, the axis of
rotation coincided with the axis of
symmetry of the object
For an arbitrary axis, the parallel-axis
theorem often simplifies calculations
The theorem states
I = ICM + MD 2
I is about any axis parallel to the axis
through the center of mass of the object
ICM is about the axis through the center
of mass
D is the distance from the center of mass
axis to the arbitrary axis
Februaryl 3, 2011
• Rotation axes perpendicular to plane of figure
• Masses on the corners of a rectangle, sides a
&b
I mir2,i h2 = (a/2)2 + (b/2)2
m a m
•About an axis through the h
CM:
2
a2 b2
ICM 4 m h 4m
m a 2 b 2 b
h
X
cm
4 4
m m
P
•About an axis “P” through a
corner:
IP 0 ma2 m b 2 m a 2 b 2 2m a 2 b 2
•Using the Parallel Axis Theorem directly for the same
corner axis:
2 2 2
IP Icm Mtoth m a b 4m
a2 b2
2m a 2 b 2
4 4
Februaryl 3, 2011
Force vs. Torque
Forces cause accelerations
What cause angular accelerations ?
A door is free to rotate about an axis through O
There are three factors that determine the
effectiveness of the force in opening the door:
The magnitude of the force
The position of the application of the force
The angle at which the force is applied
Februaryl 3, 2011
General Definition of Torque
Let F be a force acting on an object, and let r be a
position vector from a rotational center to the point
of application of the force. The magnitude of the
torque is given by
rF sin
° or °:
torque are equal to zero
° or °:torque attain to the maximum
Torque will have direction
If the turning tendency of the force is counterclockwise, the
torque will be positive
If the turning tendency is clockwise, the torque will be
negative
Februaryl 3, 2011
Net Torque
The force F1 will tend to
cause a
counterclockwise
rotation about O
F
The force 2 will tend to
cause a clockwise
rotation about O
F d –
1 1
F2d2 Rate of rotation of an
If , starts rotating object does not change,
If , rotation rate unless the object is
does not change acted on by a net torque
Februaryl 3, 2011
Torque on a Rotating Object
Consider a particle of mass m rotating in a circle
of radius r under the influence of tangential
Ft force
The tangential force provides a tangential
acceleration: Ft = mat
Multiply both side by r, then
rFt = mrat
Since at = rwe have
rFt = mr2
So, we can rewrite it as
= mr2
= I
Februaryl 3, 2011
Torque on a Solid Disk
Consider a solid disk rotating about its axis.
The disk consists of many particles at various
distance from the axis of rotation. The torque on
each one is given by
= mr2
The net torque on the disk is given by
= (mr2)
A constant of proportionality is the moment of
inertia,
I = mr2 = m1r12 + m2r22 + m3r32 + …
So, we can rewrite it as
= I
Februaryl 3, 2011
Newton’s Second Law for a
Rotating Object
When a rigid object is subject to a net torque
(≠0), it undergoes an angular acceleration
I
The angular acceleration is directly
proportional to the net torque
The angular acceleration is inversely
proportional to the moment of inertia of the
object
F ma
The relationship is analogous to
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Februaryl 3, 2011
Example 1: second law for rotation
When she is launched from a springboard, a diver's
angular speed about her center of mass changes from
zero to 6.20 rad/s in 220 ms. Her rotational inertia about
her center of mass is constant at 12.0 kg·m2. During the
launch, what are the magnitudes of
(a) her average angular acceleration and
(b) the average external torque on her from
f 0 the board?
a) Use: f 0 t
t
or ave
t
6.20
28.2 rad/s 2
0.22
b) Use: I 12 kg.m2
ave I ave 12 28.2 338 N.m
Februaryl 3, 2011
Example 2: for an unbalanced bar
Bar is massless and originally horizontal
Rotation axis at fulcrum point L1 N L2
+y
N has zero torque
Find angular acceleration of bar and the m1g fulcrum m2g
linear
net
acceleration of m1 just after you let go
Constraints: a1 = - L1
Use: net Itot a2 = + L2
Itot
Using specific numbers:
where: Itot I1 I2 m1L21 m2L22 Let m1 = m2= m
net o,i m1gL1 m2gL 2 L1=20 cm, L2 = 80 cm
What happened to sin() in moment arm? gL1 gL 2 g(0.2 - 0.8)
L21 L22 0.2 2 0.8 2
net 8.65 rad/s 2 Clockwise
torqu
e m1gL1 m2gL 2 a1 L1 1.7 m/s2
m1L21 m2L22 Accelerates UP
total I
about Februaryl 3, 2011
pivot
Newton 2nd Law in Rotation
Suppose everything is as it was in the preceding example,
but the bar is NOT horizontal. Assume both masses are
equal. Which of the following is the correct equation for
the angular acceleration?
net o,i m1gL1 cos() m2gL 2 cos()
L1
N
Itot I1 I2 m1L21 m2L22
[m1L1 m2L 2 ] m1g
g cos( ) L2
m1L21 m2L22 fulcrum
m2g
(L1 L 2 )
gcos()
L21 L22
Februaryl 3, 2011
net Itot
Strategy to use the Newton 2nd
Law
Many components in the system means several (N) unknowns….
… need an equal number of independent equations
Draw or sketch system. Adopt coordinates, name the variables,
indicate
rotation axes, list the known and unknown quantities, …
• Draw free body diagrams of key parts. Show forces at their points
of Note: can have
application. find torques about a (common) axis Fnet .eq. 0
twice
Fnet Law
• May need to apply Second Fi to
meach
a part but net .ne. 0
Translation:
net i I
Rotation:
• Make sure there are enough (N) equations; there may be constraint
equations (extra conditions connecting unknowns)
• Simplify and solve the set of (simultaneous) equations.
• Interpret the final formulas. Do they make intuitive sense? Refer
back
to the sketches and original problem
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• Calculate numerical results, and sanity check anwers (e.g., right
order of
Rotating Rod
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
are the initial angular
acceleration of the rod
and the initial
translational acceleration
of its right end?
Februaryl 3, 2011
Rotating Rod
L
0 Mg ( 2 )
1
I ML 2
3
Mg ( L / 2) 3 g
2
I ML / 3 2L
3
at L g
2
Februaryl 3, 2011
The Falling Object
A solid, frictionless cylindrical reel
of mass M = 2.5 kg and radius R
= 0.2 m is used to draw water
from a well. A bucket of mass m =
1.2 kg is attached to a cord that is
wrapped around the cylinder.
(a) Find the tension T in the cord
and acceleration a of the object.
(b) If the object starts from rest at
the top of the well and falls for 3.0
s before hitting the water, how far
does it fall ?
Februaryl 3, 2011
Example, Newton’s Second
Law for Rotation
Draw free body
diagrams of each object
Only the cylinder is
rotating, so apply = I
The bucket is falling,
but not rotating, so
apply F = m a
Remember that a = r
and solve the resulting
equations
Februaryl 3, 2011
• Cord wrapped around disk, hanging weight
• Cord does not slip or stretch constraint
• Disk’s rotational inertia slows accelerations
• Let m = 1.2 kg, M = 2.5 kg, r =0.2 m
For mass
m:
T Fy ma mg T r
y
mg T m (g a) Unknowns: T, a
a support force
at axis “O” has
FBD for disk, with axis at zero torque
“o”: 1
N 0 Tr I I Mr 2
2
Tr m(g a)r
1 Unknowns: a, mg
T Mg I Mr 2
2
from “no
So far: 2 Equations, 3 unknowns Need a a r slipping”
constraint: and
Substitute assumption
solve:
2mgr 2mr 2 m 2mg mg
- (1 2 ) ( 24 rad/s 2 )
Mr 2 Mr 2 M Mr r(m M/2)
Februaryl 3, 2011
• Cord wrapped around disk, hanging weight
• Cord does not slip or stretch constraint
• Disk’s rotational inertia slows accelerations
• Let m = 1.2 kg, M = 2.5 kg, r =0.2 m
For mass
m:
T Fy ma mg T r
y
mg T m (g a) Unknowns: T, a
a support force
at axis “O” has
mg
( 24 rad/s 2 ) zero torque
r(m M/2)
mg
a ( 4.8 m/s 2 )
(m M/2)
mg
T m ( g a ) 1.2(9.8 - 4.8) 6N
1 1
x f - x f vi t at 2 0 4.8 32 21.6m
2 2
Februaryl 3, 2011
