Spinning into Physics

Rotational motion studies objects that spin around an axis, like wheels, planets, and figure skaters. The concepts are similar to linear motion but involve angles and rotational quantities.

Key Quantities

• Angular displacement: The angle an object rotates through.
• Angular velocity (\(\omega\)): How fast something spins.
• Angular acceleration (\(\alpha\)): How quickly spinning speed changes.

Moments of Inertia

Moment of inertia measures an object's resistance to changes in rotational motion, similar to mass in linear motion.

Real-World Relevance

Understanding rotational motion explains why figure skaters spin faster when pulling their arms in and how gears and engines work.