Lecture 16

Goals:

Chapter 12
Extend the particle model to
rigid-bodies
Understand the equilibrium of
an extended object.
Analyze rolling motion
Understand rotation about a
fixed axis.
Employ conservation of
angular momentum concept

Assignment:
HW7 due March 25th
After Spring Break Tuesday:
Catch up

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 1

Rotational Dynamics: A childs toy, a physics

playground or a students nightmare
A merry-go-round is spinning and we run and jump on

it. What does it do?

What principles would apply?

We are standing on the rim and our friends spin it

faster. What happens to us?

We are standing on the rim a walk towards the center.

Does anything change?

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 2

Rotational Variables
Rotation about a fixed axis:

Consider a disk rotating about

an axis through its center:

How do we describe the motion:

d 2

(rad/s) vTangential /R
dt T
dx
v
(Analogous to the linear case
dt )

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 3

Rotational Variables...
Recall: At a point a distance R away from the axis of rotation,

the tangential motion:

x = R

v = R

v = R
a = R

constant (angular accelation in rad/s )

2

0 t

(angular velocity in rad/s)

1
0 0 t t 2 (angular position in rad)
2
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 4

Comparison to 1-D kinematics

Angular

Linear

constant

a constant

0 t
0 0 t t
1
2

v v 0 at
2

x x0 v 0 t 12 at 2

And for a point at a distance R from the rotation axis:

x = R v = RaT = R
Here aT refers to tangential acceleration
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 5

System of Particles (Distributed Mass):

Until now, we have considered the behavior of very simple

systems (one or two masses).

But real objects have distributed mass !
For example, consider a simple rotating disk and 2 equal
mass m plugs at distances r and 2r.

Compare the velocities and kinetic energies at these two

points.

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 9

System of Particles (Distributed Mass):

1 K= m v2 = m (r)2

2 K= m (2v)2 = m (2r)2
Twice the radius, four times the kinetic energy

K mv m(r )
1
2

1
2

The rotation axis matters too!

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 10

A special point for rotation

System of Particles: Center of Mass (CM)
If an object is not held then it will rotate about the

center of mass.
Center of mass: Where the system is balanced !
Building a mobile is an exercise in finding
centers of mass.
m1

m2

m1

m2

mobile
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 11

System of Particles: Center of Mass

How do we describe the position of a system made up of

many parts ?
Define the Center of Mass (average position):
For a collection of N individual point like particles whose
masses and positions we know:

mi ri
N

RCM i 1
M

RCM
m2

m1
r1

r2

y
x

(In this case, N = 2)

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 12

Sample calculation:
Consider the following mass distribution:
N

mi ri

RCM i 1
M

XCM i YCM j ZCM k

XCM = (m x 0 + 2m x 12 + m x 24 )/4m meters

RCM = (12,6)
YCM = (m x 0 + 2m x 12 + m x 0 )/4m meters
(12,12)
2m
XCM = 12 meters
YCM = 6 meters

m
(0,0)

m
(24,0)
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 13

System of Particles: Center of Mass

For a continuous solid, convert sums to an integral.

dm
y

r dm r dm
RCM

M
dm

r
x

where dm is an infinitesimal
mass element.

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 14

Connection with motion...

So for a rigid object which rotates about its center of

mass and whose CM is moving:

mi ri
N

K TOTAL K Rotation K Translation

RCM i 1
M

K TOTAL K Rotation MV

2
CM

1
2

For a point p rotating:

K R m p v p m p (rp )
1
2

1
2

VCM

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 15

Rotation & Kinetic Energy

Consider the simple rotating system shown below.

(Assume the masses are attached to the rotation axis by

massless rigid rods).
The kinetic energy of this system will be the sum of the
kinetic energy of each piece:
4
2

K 12 mi v i
i 1

K = m1v1+ m2v2+ m3v3+ m4v4

m4

m3

r1

r4
r3

m1

r2
m2
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 16

Rotation & Kinetic Energy

Notice that v1 = r1 , v2 = r2 , v3 = r3 , v4 = r4
So we can rewrite the summation:
4

K mi v mi r
1
2

2
i

i 1

1
2

2 2
i

i 1

1
2

[ m r ]
4

i 1

2
i i

We recognize the quantity, moment of inertia or I, and

write:

m4

K Rotational I
1
2

I mi ri

m3
2

r1

r4
r3

r2

m1

m2

i 1

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 17

Calculating Moment of Inertia

N

I mi ri

where r is the distance from

the mass to the axis of rotation.

i 1

Example: Calculate the moment of inertia of four point masses

(m) on the corners of a square whose sides have length L,
about a perpendicular axis through the center of the square:

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 18

Calculating Moment of Inertia...

For a single object, I depends on the rotation axis!
Example: I1 = 4 m R2 = 4 m (21/2 L / 2)2

I1 = 2mL2

I2 = mL2

I = 2mL2

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 19

Moments of Inertia
For a continuous solid object we have to add up the mr2

contribution for every infinitesimal mass element dm.

An integral is required to find I :

dm

I r dm
2

Some examples of I for solid objects:

dr
L

Solid disk or cylinder of mass M

and radius R, about
perpendicular axis through its
center.

I = M R2
Use the table
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 22

Exercise Rotational Kinetic Energy

We have two balls of the same mass. Ball 1 is attached to a 0.1 m

long rope. It spins around at 2 revolutions per second. Ball 2 is on

a 0.2 m long rope. It spins around at 2 revolutions per second.

K 12 I 2

What is the ratio of the kinetic energy

of Ball 2 to that of Ball 1 ?

I mi ri

A.
B.
C. 1
D. 2
E. 4

Ball 1

Ball 2
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 24

Exercise Rotational Kinetic Energy

K2/K1 = m r22 / m r12 = 2 / 2 = 4
What is the ratio of the kinetic energy of Ball 2 to

that of Ball 1 ?

(A) 1/4 (B) 1/2

Ball 1

(C) 1

(D) 2

(E) 4

Ball 2
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 25

Exercise
Work & Energy
Strings are wrapped around the circumference of two solid disks
and pulled with identical forces, F, for the same linear distance,
d.
Disk 1 has a bigger radius, but both are identical material (i.e.
their density = M / V is the same). Both disks rotate freely
around axes though their centers, and start at rest.
Which disk has the biggest angular velocity after the drop?

W F d = I 2
(A)

Disk 1

(B) Disk 2
(C) Same

start
finish

F
d
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 28

Exercise
Work & Energy
Strings are wrapped around the circumference of two solid disks

and pulled with identical forces for the same linear distance.
Disk 1 has a bigger radius, but both are identical material (i.e.
their density = M/V is the same). Both disks rotate freely
around axes though their centers, and start at rest.
Which disk has the biggest angular velocity after the drop?

W = F d = I1 12 = I2 22
1 = (I2 / I1) 2 and I2 < I1
(A)

Disk 1

(B) Disk 2
(C) Same

start
finish

F
d
Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 29

Lecture 16

K TOTAL K Rotational K Translational

K TOTAL K Rotational MV

2
CM

1
2

K Rotational I
1
2

Assignment:
HW7 due March 25th
For the next Tuesday:
Catch up

I mi ri

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 30

Lecture 16

Assignment:
HW7 due March 25th
After Spring Break Tuesday: Catch up

Physics 207: Lecture 16, Pg 31