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


Redeveloped Division Initiated Self-Learning Module

Department of Education
i
– Division of Palawan
General Physics 1 – Grade 12
Redeveloped Division Initiated - Self-Learning Module
Quarter 2 – Module 1: Rotational Dynamics
Second Edition, 2021

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Published by the Department of Education, Division of Palawan

Schools Division Superintendent:
Roger F. Capa, CESO VI
OIC - Assistant Schools Division Superintendents:
Rufino B. Foz
Arnaldo G. Ventura

Development Team for

Development Team
Redevelopment Activity

Writer: Alvin P. Cajiles Writer: Alvin P. Cajiles

Editor: Josie Joshua R. Pasion Editors: Alvin P. Cajiles and Josie Joshua
Illustrator: John Edward A. Cajiles R. Pasion
Management Team: Illustrator: John Edward A. Cajiles
Aurelia B. Marquez Management Team:
Rosalyn C. Gadiano Aurelia B. Marquez
Rodgie S. Demalinao Rosalyn C. Gadiano
Rodgie S. Demalinao

Department of Education – MIMAROPA Region – Division of Palawan

Office Address: PEO Road, Barangay Bancao-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City
Telephone: (048) 433-6392
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Website: www.depedpalawan.com

ii
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners, can
continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each
lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each SLM.
This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better
understanding of the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer
the post-test to self-check your learning. Answer keys are provided for each
activity and test. We trust that you will be honest in using these.

In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
provided to our facilitators and parents for strategies and reminders on how
they can best help you on your home-based learning.

Please use this module with care. Do not put unnecessary marks on any part
of this SLM. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises and tests.
And read the instructions carefully before performing each task

If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.

iii
 Gen Physics 1
Second Quarter
Week 1
Rotational Dynamics
Most Essential Learning Competencies
Objectives:
1. calculate the moment of inertia about a given axis of single-object and
multiple-object systems;
2. calculate magnitude and direction of torque using the definition of
torque as a cross product;
3. describe rotational quantities using vectors;
4. determine whether a system is in static equilibrium or not;
5. apply the rotational kinematic relations for systems with constant
angular accelerations;
6. determine angular momentum of different systems;
7. apply the torque-angular momentum relation; and
8. Solve static equilibrium problems in contexts but not limited to see-saws,
cable-hinge-strut- system, leaning ladders, and weighing a heavy
suitcase using a small bathroom scale.

What I Know
Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Torque is the result of multiplying the position and force vectors. Describe its
product.
a. positive torque c. scalar
b. negative torque d. vector

2. Which of the following statements is TRUE about static equilibrium:

a. An object can stay in static equilibrium only if the net force acting on it is at
maximum.
b. An object can stay in static equilibrium only if the net torque acting on it is at
minimum.
c. An object is in static equilibrium it is at rest and not experiencing translational or
rotational motion.

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 d. An object is in static equilibrium if it experiences a constant linear acceleration.
3. Which of the following is/are in static equilibrium?
a. a pendulum at the top of its swing
b. a merry-go-round spinning at constant angular velocity
c. a projectile at the top of its trajectory (with zero velocity)
d. all of the above

4. A 15-kg child sits on a playground seesaw, 2.0 m from the pivot. A second child
located 1.0 m on the other side of the pivot would have to have a mass
_____________ to lift the first child off the ground.
a. greater than 30 kg c. equal to 30 kg
b. less than 30 kg d. same mass of 15 kg

5. What is the angular velocity of an object traveling in a circle of radius 0.75 m with a
linear speed of 3.5 m/s?
a. 4.3 rad/s b. 4.8 rad/s c. 0.5 rad/s d. 3.0 rad/s

6. Assuming that the Earth is a solid sphere of constant density, wih mass of 5.98 x 10 24
kg and radius of 6370 km. What is its moment of inertia with respect to rotation
about its axis?
a. 7.29 x 10-5 kg/m2 c. 9.71 x 1037 kg/m2
b. 2.64 x 2033 kg/m2 d. 2.58 x 104 kg/m2

7. If no external torque acts on a rotating body, its angular velocity is

_________________.
a. constant b. increased c. conserved d. maximized

8. The easiest way to open a heavy door is by applying the force

a. near the hinges c. at the edge of the door from the hinges
b. in the middle of the door d. at the top of the door

9. For a rigid body to be in equilibrium, ________________________________.

a. it must be stable
b. the net force acting on it must be zero
c. the net torque acting on it must be zero
d. the net force and the net torque acting on it must be zero.

10. Which of the following has a greater moment of inertia?

a. long, fat leg b. long, thin leg c. short, fat leg d. short, thin leg

11. A uniform meterstick is supported at the 50 cm mark. A 25 N weight is placed at

the 10 cm mark. Where should a 200 N weight be placed for the meterstick to be
in equilibrium?
a. 1.25 cm c. 51.25 cm mark
b. 5.0 cm mark d. 55.0 cm mark

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12. When an object is experiencing a net torque, _________________________________.
a. it is in dynamic equilibrium
b. it is in static equilibrium
c. it is rotating
d. it is translating

13. A 3-kg broom is leaning against a table. A woman lifts the broom handle with her
arm fully stretched so that her hand is a distance of 0.450 m from her shoulder.
What torque is produced on her shoulder by the broom if her arm is at an angle
of 50˚ below the horizontal?
a. 7.00 Nm b. 5.80 Nm c. 8.51 Nm d. 10.1 Nm

14. What is the angular velocity of a ball that starts at rest and rolls for 5 seconds with
a constant angular acceleration of 20 rad/s2?
a. 4 rad/s b. 10 rad/s c. 100 rad/s d. 7 rad/s

15. What is the angular acceleration of a ball that starts at rest and increases its
angular velocity uniformly to 5 rad/s in 10 seconds?
a. 8.0 rad/s2 b. 2 rad/s2 c. 0.5 rad/s2 d. 3 rad/s2

What is It

Did you ever wonder how an airplane is able to fly and move across the sky?
The large fans at the front of jet engines pull air into a compression chamber, where
the air mixes with fuel and ignites. The explosion propels gases out the back of the
engine, producing the thrust that moves the plane forward. These fans rotate at 7000-
9000 rpm and must be inspected often – no one wants a broken fan blade at an
altitude of 6 miles. What does rpm stand for?

Figure 1. Jet engine of an airplane.

3
 Although all engines have rotating parts that transfer energy to the output
device, which is often rotating as well. In fact, most objects in the universe rotate, from
molecules to stars and galaxies.
Did you ever notice how a hurricane or typhoon looks like if you will see from
the upper atmosphere? Rotating air mass forms a hurricane.

Figure 2. The eye of a storm seen from above.

Circular and Linear Motion

The table below summarizes the relationships between linear and angular
quantities for circular quantities. The relationships shown in the table relate the angular
quantities (𝜃, 𝜔, and α) to the linear quantities (s, v, and a). The radius r of the circular
path is constant and provides the connection between the two sets of quantities.

Comparison of Kinematical Variables for Circular Motion

Quantity Linear Angular Relationship
Displacement S 𝜃 s = r𝜃
Velocity V 𝜔 v = r𝜔
Acceleration A 𝛼 𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝛼
𝑎𝑐 = 𝑟𝜔2

Rotation
Rotation refers to the motion of a body turning about an axis, where each
particle of the body moves along a circular path. Almost all engines have rotating
parts that transfer energy to the output device, which is often rotating as well. In fact,
most objects in the universe rotate, from molecules to stars and galaxies.

Kinetic Energy of Rotation

Angular speed, 𝜔, and angular acceleration, 𝛼, were defined in terms of the
time derivatives of the angular displacement, 𝜃:
𝑑𝜃
𝜔=
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝜔 𝑑 2 𝜃
𝛼= = 2
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
1
The kinetic energy of a moving object is defined as: 𝐾 = 𝑚𝑣 2 . If the motion of
2
this object is circular, we can use the relationship between linear and angular velocity
to obtain:

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 1 1 1
𝐾=𝑚𝑣 2 = 𝑚(𝑟𝜔)2 = 𝑚𝑟 2 𝜔2
2 2 2
which is the kinetic energy of rotation for a point particle’s motion on the
circumference of a circle of radius r about a fixed axis.

Several Point Particles in Circular Motion

The kinetic energy of a collection of rotating objects is given by
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛
1 1
𝐾 = ∑ 𝐾𝑖 = ∑ 𝑚𝑖 (𝑣𝑖 )2 = ∑ 𝑚𝑖 (𝑟𝑖 )2 (𝜔𝑖 )2
2 2
𝑖=1 𝑖=1 𝑖=1
This result is simply a consequence of the previous equation for several point
particles rotating on a fixed axis called axis of rotation. If we assume that all of the
point particles keep their distances with respect to one another and with respect to
the axis of rotation, then all of the point particles in the system will undergo circular
motion around the common axis of rotation with the same angular velocity. With the
sum of the particles’ kinetic energies becomes
𝑛 𝑛
1 1 1
𝐾 = ∑ 𝑚𝑖 (𝑟𝑖 )2 𝜔2 = (∑ 𝑚𝑖 (𝑟𝑖 )2 ) 𝜔2 = 𝐼𝜔2
2 2 2
𝑖 𝑖=1
The quantity I introduced in the above equation is called the moment of inertia,
also known as the rotational inertia.
The moment of inertia of all round objects is I = cMR2 with c 𝜖 [0,1]. The constant
c can be calculated from the geometrical configuration of the rotating object and
always has a value between zero and one. M is the mass of the object and R is the
radius rotating about an axis through its center.

Figure 3. Moment of Inertia of uniform and regular-shaped bodies. Source: http://hyperphysics.phy-

astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mi.html

Example 1: Assume that the Earth is a solid sphere of constant density, with mass 5.98
x 1024 kg and radius 6370 km. What is the moment of inertia of the Earth with respect
to rotation about its axis, and what is the kinetic energy of this rotation?

5
Solution: Since the Earth is to be approximated by a sphere of constant density, its
moment of inertia is I = 2/5 MR2. Inserting the values for the mass and the radius, we
obtain: I = 2/5 (5.98 x 1024 kg)(6370 km)2 = 9.71 x 1037 kg.m2.
2𝜋 2𝜋 𝑟𝑎𝑑
The angular frequency of Earth’s rotation is 𝜔 = = = 7.29 𝑥 10−5 .
1 day 86,164 𝑠 s

We can find the kinetic energy of the Earth’s rotation:

1 2 1 37 2 −5
𝑟𝑎𝑑 2
𝐾 = 𝐼𝜔 = (9.71 𝑥 10 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚 ) (7.29 𝑥 10 ) = 2.58 𝑥 1029 𝐽.
2 2 𝑠

Polar Coordinates
During an object’s circular motion, its x- and y-components change
continuously, but the distance from the object to the center of the circular path stays
the same. We can take advantage of this fact by using polar coordinates to study
circular motion. Shown in the figure belowis the position vector, r, of an object in
circular motion. This vector changes as a function of time, but its tip always moves on
the circumference of a circle. We can specify r by giving its x- and y-components.
However, we can specify the same vector by giving two other numbers: the angle of
r relative to x-axis, 𝜃, and the length of r = |r|.
𝑦

𝑦ො
𝑡Ƹ

𝑟Ƹ
𝑥ො
𝑟Ԧ
𝑠
𝜃
𝑥

Trigonometry provides the relationship between the Cartesian coordinates x

and y and the polar coordinates 𝜽 and r.
𝑟 = √𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2
𝑦
𝜃 = 𝑡𝑎𝑛−1 ( )
𝑥
The inverse transformation from polar to Cartesian coordinates is given by
𝑥 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃
𝑦 = 𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃

Angular Coordinates and Angular Displacement

Polar coordinates allow us to describe and analyze circular motion, where
distance to the origin, r, of the object in motion stays constant and the angle 𝜃 varies
as a funcion of time 𝜃(𝑡). The angle 𝜃 is measured relative to the positive x-axis. Any
point on the positive x-axis has an angle 𝜃 = 0. A move in the counterclockwise
direction away from the positive x-axis toward the positive y-axis results in positive
values for the angle 𝜃. Conversely, a clockwise move away from the positive x-axis
toward the negative y-axis results in negative values of 𝜃.

6
 The two most commonly used units for angles are degrees (º) and radians (rad).
These units are defined such that the angle measured by one complete circle is 360º,
which corresponds to 2𝜋 rad. The unit coonversion between two angular measures:
𝜋 180
𝜃(𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠) = 𝜃(𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠) ↔ 𝜃(𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠) = 𝜃(𝑑𝑒𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑒𝑠)
180 𝜋
Like linear displacement, angular displacement ∆𝜃 is the difference between
tw angles: ∆𝜃 = 𝜃2 − 𝜃1 .

Arc Length
The figure above also shows (in green) the path on the circumference of the
circle traveled by the tip of the vector r in going from an angle of zero to 𝜃. This path
is called arc length, s. It is related to the radius and angle via 𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃.

Angular Velocity
In rotational motion, angular velocity (ω) is defined as the change in angular
displacement ∆𝜃 per unit change of time ∆𝑡. Mathematically,
∆𝜃 𝜃2 − 𝜃1
𝜔= =
∆𝑡 𝑡2 − 𝑡1
The symbol ω is pronounced as "omega" and is used to denote angular
velocity.
We usually describe the angular velocity as revolution per second (rev/sec,
rps), or radian per second.

Tangential velocity (v) is the product of the radius r and angualr velocity 𝜔.
Angular acceleration of a rotating object is the rate at which the angular velocity
changes with respect to time. Mathematically, it is defined as
∆𝜔 𝜔2 − 𝜔1
𝛼= =
∆𝑡 𝑡2 − 𝑡1

TORQUE
If you have ever spun a bike wheel or pushed a merry-go-round, you know that
force is needed to change the angular velocity. The farther the force is applied from
the pivot point (or fulcrum), the greater the angular acceleration. For example, a door
opens slowly if you push too close to its hinge, but opens easily if you push far from the
hinges. Furthermore, we know that the more massive the door is, the more slowly it
opens; this is because angular acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. These

7
relationships are very similar to the relationships between force, mass and
acceleration from Newton’s second law of motion.
The angular version of force is called torque 𝝉, which is the turning effectiveness
of a force. Mathematically, torque is defined as
𝜏 = 𝑟 𝑥 𝐹 (cross product)
𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
where r is the magnitude of the moment arm or lever arm, F is the magnitude of the
linear force. The moment arm or lever arm is the vector from the point of rotation (pivot
point or fulcrum) to the location where force is applied.
The unit of torque is Newton-meter, N m. This should not be confused with the
unit of energy which is also N.m or Joule.

Example 2: What torque is needed to accelerate a Ferris wheel from rest to 3.25
radians/s in 15 s? Approximate the Ferris wheel to be a disk of radius 12.5 m and of
mass 825 kg.

Solution: First we need to solve for I = MR2 = (825 kg)(12.5 m)2 = 1.29 x 105 kg.m2.
rad
𝜔−𝜔0 325 s −0 𝑟𝑎𝑑
The angular acceleration is then, 𝛼 = = = 21.7 2 .
𝑡 15 𝑠 𝑠
𝑟𝑎𝑑
Therefore, 𝜏 = 𝐼𝛼 = (1.29 𝑥 105 𝑘𝑔. 𝑚2 ) (21.7 6
) = 2.8 𝑥 10 𝑁. 𝑚.
𝑠2
Note that the unit radians may be omitted in the final unit for torque.

Equilibrium Conditions
Newton’s First Law stipulates that an object stays at rest or moves with constant
velocity if there is no external force acting on the object. We often want to find the
conditions necessary for a rigid object to stay at rest, in static equilibrium. An object
(or a collection of objects) is in static equilibrium if it is at rest and not experiencing
translational or rotational motion. The requirement of no translational or rotational
motion means that the linear and angular velocities of an object in static equilibrium
are always zero.
Newton’s Second Law of Motion 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚𝑎 implies that if the linear acceleration
a is zero, the external net force, Fnet, must be zero. Furthermore, Newton’s Second Law
of Rotation 𝜏 = 𝐼𝛼 implies that if the angular acceleration 𝛼 is zero, the net external
torque, 𝜏𝑛𝑒𝑡 , must be zero. These facts lead to two conditions for static equilibrium.

Static Equilibrium Condition 1

An object can stay in static equilibrium only if the net force acting on it is zero.
𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 0.
Static Equilibrium Condition 2
An object can stay in static equilibrium only if the net torque acting on it is zero.
𝜏𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 0.

Even if Newton’s First Law is satistied (no net force acts on an object), and an
object has no translational motion, it will still rotate if it experiences a net torque.

8
Equilibrium Equations
The two equations for the net force components on a linear or translational situations:
𝑛

𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡,𝑥 = ∑ 𝐹𝑖,𝑥 = 𝐹1,𝑥 + 𝐹2,𝑥 + ⋯ + 𝐹𝑛,𝑥 = 0

𝑖=1
𝑛

𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡,𝑥 = ∑ 𝐹𝑖,𝑦 = 𝐹1,𝑦 + 𝐹2,𝑦 + ⋯ + 𝐹𝑛,𝑦 = 0.

𝑖=1
The static equilibrium condition of zero net torque about each axis of rotation can be
written as
𝜏𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∑ 𝜏𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒,𝑖 − ∑ 𝜏𝑐𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑘𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑒,𝑗 = 0
𝑖 𝑗
These three equations form the basis for the quantitative analysis of static equilibrium.

SEESAW
A playground seesaw consists of a
pivot and a bar, of mass M, that is placed on
the pivot so that the ends can move up and
down freely. If an object of mass m1 is placed
on one end of the bar at a distance r1 from
the pivot point, that end goes down, simply
because of the force and torque that the
object exerts on it. Where do we have to
place an object of mass m2 (assumed to be of
equal mass of m1) to get the seesaw to
balance, so the bar is horizontal and neither
end touches the ground?

Solution:
The force that m1 exerts on the bar is simply m1g, acting downward. The same
is true for the force that m2 exerts on the bar. In addition, because the bar has a mass
M of its own, it experiences a gravitational force, Mg.The gravitational force acts at
the center of mass of the bar, right in the middle of the bar. The final force acting on
the bar is the normal force, N, exerted by the bar’s support. It acts at the axle of the
𝑦
seesaw.

ሬԦ
𝑁 𝑥
𝑟1
ሬሬሬԦ 𝑟ሬሬሬԦ2

𝑚1 𝑚2
𝑀

−𝑚1 𝑔
ෞ𝑦 −𝑚2 𝑔
ෞ𝑦
−𝑀𝑔
ෞ𝑦

The equilibrium equation for the y-components of the forces leads to an expression
for the value of the normal force:

9
 𝐹𝑛𝑒𝑡,𝑦 = ∑ 𝐹𝑖,𝑦 = −𝑚1 𝑔 − 𝑚2 𝑔 − 𝑀𝑔 + 𝑁 = 0
𝑖
𝑁 = 𝑔(𝑚1 + 𝑚2 + 𝑀)
Because all forces act in the y-direction, it is not necessary to write equations
for the net force components in the x- or z-directions.
Now we can consider the net torque. The selection of the proper pivot point
can make our computations simple. For a seesaw, the natural selection is at the axle.
Because the normal force, N, and the weight of the bar, Mg, act exactly through this
point, their moment arms have length zero. Thus, these two forces do not contribute
to the torque equation if this is selected as the pivot point. The forces F1 = m1g and F2
= m2g are the only ones contributing torques: F1 generates a counterclockwise torque,
and F2 a clockwise torque. The torque equation is then
𝜏𝑛𝑒𝑡 = ∑ 𝜏counterclockwise,i − ∑ 𝜏clockwise,j
𝑖 𝑗
𝑚1 𝑔𝑟1 𝑠𝑖𝑛90° − 𝑚2 𝑔𝑟2 𝑠𝑖𝑛90° = 0
𝑚2 𝑟2 = 𝑚1 𝑟1
𝑚1
𝑟2 = 𝑟1
𝑚2
Even though they equal 1 and thus have no effect, the factors sin90˚ are
included above as a reminder that the angle between force and moment arm usually
affects the calculation of the torques.
The question was where to put m2 for the case that the two masses were the
same; the answer is r2 = r1.

Stability of Structures
For a skyscraper or a bridge, designers and builders need to worry about the
ability of the structure to remain standing under the influence of external forces.
Engineers need to be able to calculate the maximum external forces and torques
that can be present without undermining the stability of a structure.

Quantitative Condition for Stability

In order to be able to quantify the stability of an equilibrium situation, we start
with the relationship between potential energy and force in one dimension
𝑑𝑈(𝑥)
𝐹𝑥 (𝑥) = −
𝑑𝑥
𝜕𝑈(𝑟) 𝜕𝑈(𝑟) 𝜕𝑈(𝑟)
In three dimensions, this is 𝐹(𝑟) = −∇𝑈(𝑟) where ∇𝑈(𝑟) = [ 𝑥+ 𝑦+ 𝑧] is the
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
first gradient derivative of the potential energy function with respect to the position
vector. A vanishing net force is one of the eqilibrium conditions, which we can write
𝑑𝑈(𝑥)
as = 0 in one dimension or ∇𝑈(𝑟) = 0 in three dimensions, at a given point in
𝑑𝑥
space. We can use the second derivative of the potential energy function to
distinguish three different cases, depending on the sign of the second derivative,

10
Case 1: Unstable Equilibrium (a)
𝑑 2 𝑈(𝑥)
Unstable equilibrium: | < 0.
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥=𝑥0

If the second derivative of the potential energy function with respect to the
coordinate is negative at a point, then the potential energy has a local maximum at
that point. The system is in unstable equilibrium. In this case, a small deviation from the
equilibrium position creates a force that drives the system away from the equilibrium
point.

Case 2: Neutral equilibrium (b)

𝑑 2 𝑈(𝑥)
Neutral equilibrium: | = 0.
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥=𝑥0
The case in which the sign of the second derivative of the potential energy function
with respect to the coordinate is neither positive nor negative at a point is called
neutral equilibrium, also referred to as indifferent or marginally stable. If the red ball is
displaced by a small amount (b), it will neither return to nor move away from its original
equilibrium position. Instead, it will simply stay in the new position, which is also an
equilibrium position.

Case 3: Stable Equilibrium (c)

𝑑 2 𝑈(𝑥)
Stable equilibrium: | > 0.
𝑑𝑥 2 𝑥=𝑥0
If the second derivative of the potential energy function with respect to the
coordinate is positive at a point, then the potential energy has a local minimum at
that point. The system is in stable equilibrium. In this case, a small deviation from the
equilibrium position creates a restoring force that drives the system back to the
equilibrium point.

With the rotational equivalents of mass (moment of inertia), velocity (angular

velocity), acceleration (angular acceleration) and force (torque), it is rightful to
introduce the rotational equivalent of linear momentum. Since linear momentum is
the product of an object’s velocity and its mass, by analogy, the angular momentum
should be the product of angular velocity and moment of inertia.

11
ANGULAR MOMENTUM and TORQUE
The angular momentum, L, of a point particle is the vector product of its position
and momentum vectors: 𝐿 = 𝑟 𝑥 𝑝.
Because the angular momentum is defined as L = r x p and the torque is defined as
𝜏 = 𝑟 𝑥 𝐹, statements can be made about angular momentum that are similar to those
made about torque. For example, the magnitude of the angular momentum is given
by 𝐿 = 𝑟𝑝𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃, where 𝜃 is the angle between the position and momentum vectors.
Given the definition of the angular momentum, we can take the time
derivative:
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
𝐿 = (𝑟 𝑥 𝑝) = [( 𝑟) 𝑥 𝑝] + [𝑟 𝑥 ( 𝑝)] = (𝑣 𝑥 𝑝) + (𝑟 𝑥 𝐹)
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
To take the derivative of the vector product, we apply the product rule of
calculus. The term v x p is always zero, beause 𝑣||𝑝. Also 𝑟 𝑥 𝐹 = 𝜏. Thus, we obtain for
the time derivative of the angular momentum vector:
𝑑𝐿
= 𝜏
𝑑𝑡
The time derivative of the angular momentum vector for a point particle is the torque
vector acting on that point particle. This result is analogous to the linear motion case,
where the time derivative of the linear momentum vector is equal to the force vector.

What I Can Do

Activity 1: Round and About

List some rtating objects that you know and their importance to society. Write
your answers in a tabular form as shown below. List as many rotating object as you
can.

Rotating Objects Importance to Society

12
Activity 2: Loosen the Bolt
Which of the following images will loosen the bolt faster?

ሬԦ
𝒓

A B C D

What’s More

Activity 3: Merry-Go-Round
Consider a man pushing a merry-go-round as
shown on the figure. He exerts a force of 200 N at the edge
of the merry-go-round and perpendicular to the radius,
which is 1.25 m. How much torque does he produce?
Assume that friction acting on the merry-go-round is
negligible.
Source: https://openstax.org/
Activity 4: System of Particles
The total angular momentum of the system of particles is simply the sum of the
angular momentum of the individual particles:
𝑛 𝑛 𝑛

𝐿 = ∑ 𝐿𝑖 = ∑ 𝑟𝑖 𝑥 𝑝𝑖 = ∑ 𝑚1 𝑟1 𝑥 𝑣𝑖
𝑖=1 𝑖=1 𝑖=1
Find the time derivative of the equation above and state what is the result.

13
 What I Have Learned

Activity 5: Complete Me 1
Directions: Complete the sentences by filling in the words to state the correct
concepts.

1. Torque is ______________ product of _____________ and ________________.

2. Angular velocity is the ______________ derivative of angular ___________________.
3. Angular ___________________ is the second derivative of angular ________________.
4. The symbol for angular velocity is _____________.
5. Moment arm is also called ________________________.

Activity 6: Complete Me 1

Directions: Complete the sentences by filling in the words to state the correct
concepts.

________(1)_________ equilibrium is mechanical equilibrium for the special case where

the object is at rest.

An object or a collection of objecs can be in static equilibrium only if the

______________(2)________________ is zero and the ___________(3)______________ is zero.

A necessary condition for ________(4)_________ equilibrium is that the first derivative of

the ___________(5)_________________ function is zero at the equilibrium point.

14
 Assessment

Choose the letter of the best answer. Write the chosen letter on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Which two quantities are needed to determine the torque applied on a rotating
object?
a. angular displacement and acceleration
b. angular displacement and elapsed time
c. force and angular displacement
d. force and magnitude of moment arm

2. How would you describe torque as a product of two vectors?

a. absolute b. scalar c. vector d. zero

3. It is a measure of how angular velocity changes over time.

a. angular position c. angular displacement
b. angular acceleration d. angular speed

4. What is the rotational analog of force?

a. angular momentum c. moment of inertia
b. angular velocity d. torque

5. The easiest way to open a heavy door is by applying the force

a. near the hinges c. at the edge of the door from the hinges
b. in the middle of the door d. at the top of the door

6. What is the angle between the hour and the minute hand of a clock showing 9:00
AM?
a. 0˚ b. 90˚ c. 180˚ d. 360˚

7. What is the approximate value of the arc length between the hour hand and the
minute hand of a clock showing 10:00 AM if the radius of the clock is 0.2 m?
a. 1 m b. 2 m c. 3 m d. 6 m

8. A bicycle’s wheels have a radius R. The bicyle is traveling with speed v. Which one
of the following expressions describes the angular speed of the front tire?
1 𝑅 𝑣
a. 𝜔 = 𝑅𝑣 2 b. 𝜔 = c. 𝜔 = d. 𝜔 = 𝑅𝑣
2 𝑣 𝑅

15
9. Two masses, m1 and m2, with equal mass are placed in a seesaw with pivot point
exactly at the center of the bar. If m1 is placed at one end of the bar with r1 as the
distance from the pivot point, where should m2 be placed to make a balance so
that neither mass will touch the ground?
a. r1 = r2 b. r1 = 2r2 c. r1 = ½r2 d. r1 = 3r2

10. In reference to the previous problem, how big does m2 need to be to balance m1
if r1 = 3r2, that is if m2 is three times closer to the pivot point?
a. m2 = m1 b. m2 = 2m1 c. m2 = ½m1 d. m2 = 3m1

11. A necessary condition for static equilibrium is that the ___________ derivative of the
potential enery function is zero at the equilibrium point.
a. absolute b. first c. second d. third

12. Stable equilibrium is achieved at points where the potential energy function has a
_______________.
a. minimum b. maximum c. positive d. negative

13. A sufficient condition for instability is that the second derivative of the potential
energy function with respect to the coordinate at the equilibrium point is
________________.
a. minimum b. maximum c. positive d. negative

14. If the second derivative of the potential energy function with respect to the
coordinate is zero at the equilibrium point, the equilibrium is said to be
a. stable b. unstable c. instable d. neutral

15. A 15-kg child sits on a playground seesaw, 2.0 m from the pivot. A second child
located 1.0 m on the other side of the pivot would have to have a mass ________
to lift the first child off the ground.
a. greater than 30 kg c. equal to 30 kg
b. less than 30 kg d. insufficient data

16
 17
What I Know
1. D 6. C 11. A
2. C 7. A 12. C
3. C 8. C 13. D
4. A 9. D 14. C
5. A 10. A 15. C
What I Can Do
Activity 1
Answers may vary depending on what the students may think as examples of
rotating objects such as wall clock, wrist watch (with hands), the wheel, electric
fan and many more.
Activity 2
Letter D where the separation angle is 90˚.
What’s More
Activity 3: Merry-Go-Round
𝜏 = 𝑟𝐹 = (1.5 𝑚)(250 𝑁) = 375 Nm
Activity 4: System of Particles
𝑑𝐿 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑝
= ( x 𝑝) + (𝑟 x )
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝐿
= (𝑣 x 𝑝 ) + (𝑟 x 𝐹) = 0 + 𝜏
𝑑𝑡
v 𝑥 p is always zero as the vectors are parallel. r x F is just the torque 𝜏
What I Have Learned
Activity 5
1. cross or vector, moment arm r, force F
2. first, displacement
3. acceleration, displacement
4. omega ω
5. lever arm
Activity 6
1. Static
2. Net force
3. Net torque
4. Static
5. Potential energy
Assessment
1. D 6. B 11. C
2. C 7. D 12. A
3. B 8. C 13. A
4. D 9. C 14. A
5. C 10. C 15. A
Answer Key
References

Bauer, W. and Westfall, G., 2016. University physics with modern physics. 2nd ed.
McGraw Hill Education.

Esguerra, J.P., Bacabac, R., Cordovilla, J., Roxas-Villanueva, R.M., and Magali, J.K.,
2018. General Physics 1. 1st ed. Prinpia Co., Ltd.

Silverio, A., and Ramos, J.D., 2017. General Physics 1. Phoenix Publishing House.

Urone, P.P., Hinrichs, R., Gozuacik, F., Pattison, D., and Tabor, C., 2020. Physics.
OpenStax Org

18
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