Describing Rotational Motion

Flashcards covering basic concepts of rotational motion, including angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

Angular Displacement

The change in angle during an object's rotation, represented by the Greek letter theta (θ).

Radian

A unit of angular measure defined as the angle subtended at the center of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the circle.

Angular Velocity

The rate of change of angular displacement, measured in radians per second (rad/s).

Angular Acceleration

The rate of change of angular velocity, measured in radians per second squared (rad/s²).

Counterclockwise Rotation

A direction of rotation that is designated as positive.

Clockwise Rotation

A direction of rotation that is designated as negative.

Linear Velocity

The velocity of a point at a distance r from the center of rotation, given by the formula v = rω.

Angular Frequency

The number of complete revolutions made by an object in one second.

Complete Rotation

One full turn around a circle, equivalent to 360 degrees or 2π radians.

Average Angular Velocity

The total angular displacement divided by the total time taken to make that displacement.

Linear Acceleration in Rotational Motion

The acceleration of a point at a radius r from the axis of rotation, given by a = rα.