Official (Closed) - Non Sensitive

Topic 8
Angular Kinetics
October 2024 Semester

8-1 Biomechanics &

Biomaterials
 Official (Closed) - Non Sensitive

Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Identify angular equivalents of mass, force, momentum and
impulse.
• Explain why changes in the configuration of a rotating
airborne body cause changes in the body’s angular velocity.
• Identify angular equivalents of Newton’s laws of motion.
• Define centripetal force and explain where and how it acts.

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 Official (Closed) - Non Sensitive

References
 Susan J. Hall, “Basic Biomechanics”, 9th Edition (McGraw-Hill
Education, 2022). Most of the materials are adapted from this
reference.
 Duane Knudson, “Fundamentals of Biomechanics”, 2nd
Edition (Springer, 2007).

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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

What is moment of inertia?

• the inertial property for rotating bodies
• represents resistance to angular
acceleration
• based on both mass and the distance
the mass is distributed from
the axis of rotation

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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration
axis of rotation

m
m r r m r
r m

Moment of inertia is the sum of the

products of each particle’s mass (m)
and the radius of rotation (r) for that
particle squared. I = mr2

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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

Although both bats have the same mass, bat A is

harder to swing than bat B because the weight
ring on it is positioned farther from the axis of
rotation.
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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

What is the radius of gyration?

• Distance from the axis of rotation to a point where the
body’s mass could be concentrated without altering its
rotational characteristics.
• When the moment of inertia for a body of known mass
has been assessed, the value may be characterized
using the following formula:
2
 mk
• In this formula, I is moment of inertia with respect to
an axis, m is total body mass, and k is a distance
known as the radius of gyration.
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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

k1
k3 k1
k2

k2
k3

Knee angle affects the moment of inertia of the

swinging leg with respect to the hip because of
changes in the radius of gyration for the lower leg
(k2) and foot (k3).

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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

During sprinting, extreme flexion at the knee reduces the

moment of inertia of the swinging leg.

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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

The ratio of muscular strength (ability of a muscle group to

produce torque at a joint) to segmental moments of inertia
(resistance to rotation at a joint) is an important contributor to
performance capability in gymnastic events.
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 Resistance to Angular Acceleration

Source: Modified from Hochmuth G: Biomechanik sportlicher bewegungen, Frankfurt, Germany, 1967, Wilhelm Limpart, Verlag.

Principal moments of inertia of the human body in different

positions with respect to different principal axes.
• Principal axis.
• Moment of inertia in kilograms per meter squared.

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 Angular Momentum

What is angular momentum?

• quantity of angular motion possessed
by a body
• measured as the product of moment of
inertia and angular velocity:
H = I
H = mk2

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 Angular Momentum

CG

CGs

s

g

Angular momentum is the sum of the local

term (Iss) and the remote term (mr2g).
H = Iss + mr2g

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 Angular Momentum

What is the principle of conservation of

angular momentum?
The total angular momentum of a given
system remains constant in the
absence of external torques.

H1 = H 2
(mk2)1 = (mk2)2

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 Angular Momentum

When angular momentum is conserved, changes

in body configuration produce a trade-off between
moment of inertia and angular velocity.
(Tuck position = small I, large )
(Extended position = large I, small )
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 Angular Momentum

During the airborne execution

of a spike in volleyball, a
compensatory rotation of the
lower extremity offsets the
forceful swinging arm so that
total body angular momentum
is conserved.

H 
Alan Bailey/Rubberball/Getty Images

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 Angular Momentum
What produces change in angular
momentum?
angular impulse - the product of torque
and the time interval over which the
torque acts:
T t = H
T t = (I)2 - (I)1

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 Angular Momentum
Backward
somersault

d
CG

Springboard reaction force (F) multiplied by its moment arm

from the diver’s CG (d ) creates a torque that generates the
angular impulse that produces angular momentum at takeoff.
Tt = H

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 Angular Analogues of Linear Kinematic
Quantities
What are the angular equivalents of linear
kinematic quantities?

Linear Angular
mass (m) moment of inertia (I = mk 2)
force (F) torque (T = Fd )
momentum (M=mv) angular momentum (H=mk2)
impulse (Ft) angular impulse (Fd t)

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 Angular Analogues of Newton’s Laws
Angular equivalent of Newton’s 1st law:

A rotating body will maintain a state of

rest or constant rotational motion
unless acted on by an external
torque that changes the state.

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 Angular Analogues of Newton’s Laws
Angular equivalent of Newton’s 2nd law:
A net torque causes angular acceleration of
a body that is:
• of a magnitude proportional to the
torque
• in the direction of the torque
• and inversely proportional to the
body’s moment of inertia
T = I
T = mk2
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 Angular Analogues of Newton’s Laws

Angular equivalent of Newton’s 3rd law:

For every torque exerted by one body on
another, there is an equal and opposite
torque exerted by the second body on the
first.

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 Centripetal Force
What is centripetal force?
• Force directed toward the center of rotation for a body
in rotational motion.

mv 2
Fc  Fc mr 2
r

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 Centripetal Force
The following formula quantifies the magnitude of a
centripetal force in terms of the tangential linear
velocity of the rotating body:
2
mv
Fc 
r
Centripetal force may also be defined in terms of
angular velocity:
Fc mr 2

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 Centripetal Force

Susan Hall

Cyclists and runners lean into a curve to offset

the torque created by centripetal force acting on
the base of support.
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 Centripetal Force

Free body diagram of a

cyclist on a curve. RH is
centripetal force.

When the cyclist is

balanced, summing torques
at the cyclist’s center of
gravity:
dRv

(R v )(dR v )=(RH )(dRH )

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Please attempt the review questions online at
Brightspace.
Multiple attempts allowed; highest score
captured.

Deadline: 10 Jan 2025 @11:59pm

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