Rotational motion occurs when an object spins or revolves around a central axis. It is different from linear motion, where objects move in a straight line. Imagine the Earth rotating on its axis, or a ballerina pirouetting; these are examples of rotational motion.
This type of motion is all around us and can be described using specific rotational quantities such as angular displacement, angular velocity, and angular acceleration, among others.
- Angular displacement refers to the angle through which an object rotates.
- Angular velocity, similar to speed in linear motion, indicates how fast the object is rotating.
- Angular acceleration describes how quickly the rotational speed changes.
In many physics problems, understanding rotational motion is essential because it helps us relate forces and movements in a way that can be analyzed, such as using the equations of rotational motion to solve for unknowns.