2: ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Introduction
• Rotational dynamics is referred to as rotation of
rigid bodies
• The term rotation means spinning of a body in
its axis.
• A rigid body means a body that has a fixed
shape and volume or a rigid body is the body
which has perfect definite and unchanged shape.
• Generally Rotational Dynamics is the study of
rotation of rigid bodies.
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 Introduction cont…
• From the definitions of rotation and rigid body, we
can simply conclude that rotation of a rigid body
is a spinning of a body having fixed shape and
volume around its axis.
• A rigid body is made up of very large number of
particles. The mass of the rigid body is
concentrated at only one point of mass or point for
application of forces and is called the centre of
gravity.
• The centre of mass of a rigid body is a fixed point
with respect to the body as a whole. Centre of
mass depends on the geometrical shape of the
body and the distribution of mass. 2
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 Angular quantities

Angular displacement θ
• This is the angle turned through by a rigid body in
rotational motion. Every particle in rigid body is
turning through the same angle
Angular velocity ω
• This is the rate of change of angular displacement
𝑑𝜃
ω = θ/t or 𝜔 = then θ = ωt
𝑑𝑡
• But the relationship between angular velocity and
linear velocity is given by; V = ωr
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 Angular quantities
Angular acceleration α
• This is the rate of change of angular velocity
dw d2 θ
i.e. α = ω/t or α = = (rad/s 2 )
dt dt2
• Relationship between angular acceleration and
linear acceleration; a = αr
Laws of Rotational Motion
• First Law. Everybody continues in its state of
rest or uniform rotational motion about a fixed
axis unless compelled by some external torque to
change that state.
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 Laws of Rotational Motion cont…
• Second law. The rate of change of angular
momentum of a body about a fixed axis is directly
proportional to the applied torque and takes
place in the direction of the applied torque.
• Third law. To every external torque applied,
there is an equal and opposite restoring torque
about the same axis of rotation.

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 Equations of Rotational Motion
 Angular velocity attained by a uniformly
accelerating rigid body after an interval of
time t.
• Consider a rigid body rotating about an axis with
an angular velocity 0 .Let its uniform angular
acceleration be  and its final angular velocity
after a time interval t be . Its equation is given
by;
 = 0 + t
Angle covered during an interval of time
𝟏
 = 0 𝐭 + 𝒕𝟐
𝟐
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 Equations of Rotational Motion…

Angular velocity attained after a certain interval

of time.
𝟐 = 𝟐𝟎 + 2
• Qn1: The angular velocity of a body is 4rad/s at t=0,
and its angular acceleration is constant and equal to
2rad/s².
a) What angle does this line make with horizontal
at time, t=3s?
b) What is the angular velocity at this time?

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 Examples…
Qn2: A wheel of radius 1.5 m is rotating at a constant
angular acceleration of 10 rad/s². Its initial angular
60
speed being 𝑟𝑒𝑣/𝑚𝑖𝑛. Find its angular speed,
𝜋
angular displacement, linear velocity and
acceleration at a point on the rim at time t = 2s.

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 cont…

• Qn 3: A wheel starting from rest is rotating with a

constant angular acceleration of 3 rad/s². An observer
notes that it traces an angle of 120 radians in 4 seconds
interval. For how long the wheel had been rotated when
the observer started his observation? (t = 8 s)

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 Moments of Inertia
Qualitatively
• Moment of inertia is the opposition offered by a body to
change its angular velocity when an external torque is
applied.
Quantitatively
• Moment of inertia of rotating rigid body is a sum of
product of all composite masses and square of their
respective distance from the axis of rotation.
• From the definition of moment of inertia, 𝐼 = 𝑚1 𝑟1 2 +
𝑚2 𝑟2 2 + 𝑚3 𝑟3 2 + … 𝑚𝑛 𝑟𝑛 2
• Putting this long expression in sigma notation,
• 𝐈 = σ𝐧𝐢=𝟏 𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐢 𝟐
• The SI unit of inertia (I) is kgm²
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 Moment of inertia cont…
FACTORS AFFECTING MOMENT OF INERTIA
• Mass of the body
• Distance from the axis of rotation
• Shape of the body
Qn: Two spherical masses 5kg each are connected
by a light rod 3m long connected to each ends. Find
the moment of inertia.
(i) about the axis normal to it through its 2/3 of
the rod.
(ii) above the axis normal to it through one of the
sphere
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 MOMENT OF INERTIA OF DIFFERENT BODIES
Moment of Inertia of Uniform Rod
(a) About an axis through centre

1
I= M L𝟐
12
(b) About an axis through one end

1
I = M L𝟐
3

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 Moment of inertia cont…
Moment of inertia of a circular disc about an axis
passing through the centre and perpendicular to its
plane.

𝟏
I = MR2
𝟐
• Where M is mass of a disc and R is radius of a disc.

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 Moment of inertia cont…

Moment of inertial of a thin

circular ring about its axis
passing through centre and
perpendicular to the plane of
ring.
• 𝐼 = 𝑀R2

Moment of inertia of a
uniform solid cylinder about
its axis through its centre.
• 1
I = MR2
2

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 Moment of inertia cont…
Moment of inertia of a hollow cylinder about an axis
through its centre.

Qn1. A solid cylinder of mass 5 kg and radius 30 cm

is free to rotate about its central axis. Find the
moment of inertia of the cylinder. (0.225 kgm2 )
Qn2. uniform circular disc of mass 100g and
diameter 10 cm is rotating about an axis passing
through its centre and perpendicular to the plane
of the disc. Find the moment of inertia of the disc.
(1.25 x 10−4 𝒌𝒈m2 )
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 Moment of inertia cont…
Qn3. A thin uniform rod of mass 1 kg and lenth 1 m is rotating
about an axis through (i) its centre (ii) one of its end and
perpendicular to its length. Calculate moment of inertia in
each case.

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 TORQUE ON ROTATING BODIES (Ʈ)

• Torque is the turning moment of

force or is the product of force
and perpendicular distance from
the axis of rotation.
i.e Ʈ= F.r
Its SI unit is NM or Kgm2s-2
Consider a rigid body rotating with
constant angular velocity  about a
fixed axis which is perpendicular to
the paper and which passes through
O.
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 Torque cont…

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 Torque cont…

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 Torque cont…
• Qn 1. The moment of inertia of the wheel is 1000𝑘𝑔m2.
At a given instant, its angular velocity is 10 rad/s. After
the wheel rotates through an angle of 100 radians, the
wheel’s angular velocity is 100 rad/s. Calculate the torque
applied on the wheel. (4.95 x 104𝑵𝒎)
• Qn 2. What constant torque should be applied to a disc of
mass 16 kg and diameter 0.5 m so that it acquires an
angular velocity of 4𝜋 rad/s in 8 s? The disc is initially at
rest and rotates about an axis through the centre of the
disc and in plane perpendicular to the disc. (𝝅/4 Nm)

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 Group assignment (10 marks)
1. Explain why materials with high Young's modulus
values are typically less flexible. Provide examples of
materials with high and low Young’s modulus values
and discuss how their applications differ based on
this property.
2. A copper wire with a diameter of 2 mm is subjected
to a tensile force of 100 N. Calculate the stress and
strain experienced by the wire. Assume Young’s
modulus for copper is 120 GPA
3. A spring with a stiffness constant of 200 N/m is
stretched by 0.1 m from its natural length. Calculate
the elastic potential energy stored in the spring. How
would this energy change if the spring were stretched
twice as far?

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 Assignment cont…
4. Explain the difference between tensile (normal) stress
and shear stress. If a cylindrical rubber block is twisted by
applying a torque, what type of stress is developed? How
would you relate the shear modulus of a material to its
Young's modulus?
5. A steel rod with a length of 2 m and cross-sectional area
1 cm sqr is stretched by 2 mm under a load. Calculate the
elastic strain energy stored in the rod. Assume Young’s
modulus for steel is 210 GPA.
6. Two objects, a solid disk and a hollow ring, both have the
same mass and radius. If they are spun up to the same
angular velocity, which one will have more rotational kinetic
energy and why?
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 Assignment cont…
7. A solid cylinder with mass 10 kg and radius 0.5 m rotates
about an axis along its length. Calculate the moment of
inertia of the cylinder about this axis.
8. A wheel with a moment of inertia of 5 kgm2 is subjected
to a torque of 20 Nm. Determine the angular acceleration
of the wheel and explain how it would change if the
moment of inertia were doubled.
9. A motor exerts a constant torque of 30 Nm on a rotating
shaft, which achieves an angular velocity of 25 rad/s.
Calculate the power output of the motor. How does the
power change if the angular velocity doubles?

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 .

•End of Lecture TWO

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