CH APTER

ROTATIONAL MOTION
Rigid body is defined as a system of particles in which distance between each pair
of particles remains constant (with respect to time) that means the shape and size
do not change, during the motion.
Eg : Fan, Pen, Table, stone and so on.
O DY Type of motion of rigid body
I DB
RIG

Pure Translational Pure Rotational Combined Translational

Motion Motion and Rotational Motion

A L Radius of Gyration (K)

T IO N K has no meaning without axis of rotation.
TA ON
R O O TI I = MK2 K is a scalar quantity
M
Radius of gyration : K = I
Moment of Inertia
M
The virtue by which a body revolving about an axis
opposes the change in rotational motion is known Perpendicular axis theorem : Iz = Ix + Iy
as moment of inertia. (body lies in the x-y plane)

axis z

m y
o
r
x

· The moment of inertia of a particle with respect to (Valid only for 2-dimensional body)
an axis of rotation is equal to the product of mass Parallel axis theorem : I = ICM + Md2
of the particle and square of distance from
rotational axis. I = mr2
r = perpendicular distance from axis of rotation I CM 2
I =ICM+Md

· Moment of inertia of a system of particles

CM d
axis discrete axis
body
r1 m1 continuous
dm
body
r2
m2 dm r
(for all type of bodies)
r3
ICM = moment of inertia about the axis
m3 I = òr2dm
passing through centre of mass

I = m1r12 + m2r22 + m3r32 + ..

or I = Smr2 I = òr2dm
 MOMENT OF INERTIA OF SOME REGULAR BODIES
Shape of Position of the axis Figure Moment of Radius of
body of rotation Inertia (I) gyration (K)
(1) Circular (a) About an axis A
z
Ring perpendicular to the
plane and passing CM d MR2 R
through the centre
Mass = M B
Radius = R
I
Z
y x'
1 R
(b) About the diametric axis MR2
2 2
x y'

(c) About an axis I1

tangential to the rim 2MR2 2R
and perpendicular to CM R
the plane of the ring M

(d) About an axis

3 3
tangential to the rim O MR2 R
2 2
and lying in the plane
R
of ring
(2) Circular Disc (a) About an axis
1 R
passing through the MR2
R 2 2
centre and perpendicular
M = Mass to the plane of disc
R = Radius
y x'

(b) About a diametric MR2 R

axis 4 2
x y'
(c) About an axis
5 5
tangential to the rim CM MR2 R
O I CM 4 2
and lying in the plane R
of the disc
(d) About an axis Iz
3 3
tangential to the rim MR2 R
CM 2 2
& perpendicular to the R
plane of disc M
R

(3) Annular disc (a) About an axis

passing through the M 2 R12 + R22
R2 R2 é R1 + R22 ùû
R1 centre and R1 2ë 2
perpendicular to the M
plane of disc
M = Mass
R1 = Internal Radius
R2 = Outer Radius
40
Shape of Position of the axis Figure Moment of Radius of
the body of rotation Inertia (I) gyration (K)

R2
(b) About a diameteric axis R1 M 2 R12 + R22
é R1 + R22 ùû
M 4ë
2

(4) Solid Sphere (a) About its diametric I

2 2
axis which passes MR2 R
5 5
through its centre
of mass M R

M = Mass
R = Radius
I

(b) About a tangent to

M R 7 7
the sphere MR2 R
5 5

(5) Hollow (a) About diametric axis I

M 2 2
Sphere passing through centre MR2 R
3 3
(Thin spherical of mass
Shell) R

table tennis ball

M = Mass (b) About a tangent to I

M 5 5
R = Radius the surface MR2 R
3 3
Thickness R
negligible

table tennis ball

(6) Hollow (a) About its geometrical MR2 R
Cylinder axis which is parallel to
its length

M = Mass (b) About an axis which

MR2 ML2 R 2 L2
R = Radius is perpendicular to its + +
L = Length length and passing 2 12 2 12
through its centre of
L
mass
Shape of Position of the axis Figure Moment of Radius of
the body of rotation Inertia (I) gyration (K)
(c) About an axis
MR2 ML2 R2 L2
perpendicular to its + +
2 3 2 3
length and passing
through one end of the
cylinder L

(7) Solid (a) About its geometrical I R

MR2
Cylinder axis, which is along
R M 2 2
M = Mass its length
R = Radius
L = Length

(b) About an axis I

3 3
tangential to the M
MR2 R
R 2 2
lateral surface and
parallel to its
geometrical axis

(c) About an axis

ML2 MR2 L2 R2
passing through + +
12 4 12 4
centre of mass and
perpendicular to its
length
L

(8) Thin Rod (a) About an axis L

ML2
passing through centre
12 12
of mass and
Thickness is perpendicular to its L
negligible length
w.r.t. length
Mass = M (b) About an axis L
ML2
Length = L passing through one
3 3
end and perpendicular
to length of the rod L

(9) Rectangular (a) About an axis passing b

Mb 2
Plate through centre of mass
b 12 2 3
and perpendicular to
side 'b' in its plane a

M = Mass (b) About an axis a

Ma 2
a = Length passing through centre
12 2 3
b = Breadth of mass and b
perpendicular to side a
'a' in its plane.
Shape of Position of the axis Figure Moment of Radius of
the body of rotation Inertia (I) gyration (K)

(c) About an axis

passing throught centre
(
M a2 + b 2 ) a2 + b 2
12 12
of mass and b
perpendicular to plane a

(10) Cube About an axis passing a

Ma2
through centre of mass
6 6
and perpendicular to
face

Mass = M
Side a

TORQUE
r
Torque about point O : rt = rr ´ F Line of action
of force
Magnitude of torque = Force × perpendicular
P F
distance of line of action
q
of force from the axis of rsinq r
rotation. O
Þ t = rFsinq
Direction of torque can be determined by using right hand thumb rule.

ANGULAR MOMENTUM (MOMENT OF LINEAR MOMENTUM)

Angular momentum of a particle about a given axis is l According to Newton's Second Law for rotatory
the product of its linear momentum and perpendicular r
distance of line of action of linear momentum vector r dL r
r r r motion t = = Ia .
from the axis of rotation, L = r ´ p dt

l Angular Impulse= Change in angu lar

momentum.
mv

q l If a large torque acts on a body for a small time

p=

r
r then, angular impulse= tdt
q
b= Conservation of Angular Momentum
rs i
nq
Angular momentum of a particle or a system
remains constant if t ext = 0 about a point or axis
of rotation.
Magnitude of angular momentum
= Linear momentum × Perpendicular distance DL
of line of action of momentum from the If t = 0 then = 0 Þ L= constant
Dt
axis of rotation
Þ L = mv × r sinq Þ Lf = Li or I1w1 = I2w2
Direction of angular momentum can be used by using
right hand thumb rule.
 Examples of Conservation of Angular Momentum
l If a person skating on ice folds his arms then his M.I. l A diver jumping from a height folds his arms and legs
decreases and 'w' increases. (I decrease) in order to increase no. of rotation in air
by increasing 'w'.

Ii
wi If
wf

Ii>If
w i< w f

l If a person moves towards the centre of rotating platform then 'I' decrease and 'w' increase.

Q I1w1 = I2w2 Þ I¯ Þ w­ es

ROTATIONAL KINETIC ENERGY

1 2
Kinetic Energy of Rotation KE R = Iw
2
1 2 L2 1
l Other forms K= Iw = = Lw
2 2I 2
1
l If external torque acting on a body is equal to zero (t = 0), L = Iw = constant Kµ , K µw
I
q2
l Rotational Work : Wr = tq (If torque is constant) Wr = ò tdq (If torque is variable)
q1

1 2 1 2 1
l Work done by torque = Change in kinetic energy of rotation. W = Iw - Iw = I (w 22 - w12 )
2 2 2 1 2
dW dq DW
l Instantaneous power = =t = tw Average power Pav =
dt dt Dt
COMBINED TRANSLATIONAL AND ROTATIONAL MOTION OF A RIGID BODY

Rolling Pure rolling

When a body perform translatory motion as well as rotatory vCM =Rw CM
motion then it is known as rolling. w CM
R vCM
Pure Rolling
(i) If the velocity of point of contact with respect to the
Contact point
surface is zero then it is known as pure rolling.
(ii) If a body is performing rolling then the velocity of any point of the body with respect to the surface
r r r r
is given by v = v CM + wCM ´ R

A VCM A wR A VCM+wR=2VCM
VCM VCM wR VCM=wR
2VCM
VCM VCM E VCM VCM=0 VCM VCM
F C E
F F VCM
C C
VCM VCM 2VCM
D
wR
VCM VCM=wR
VCM wR
B B B VCM-wR=0
Only T.M. Only R.M. Pure rolling motion

Only Translatory motion + Only Rotatory Motion = Rolling motion.

For pure rolling above body VA = 2VCM VE = 2 VCM VF = 2 VCM VB = 0

Velocity at a point on rim of sphere Kinetic Energy in pure rolling

Rolling body
2 2 2
v net = v + R w + 2vRw cos q

VCM

v
q
q surface
Rw
Total Kinetic Energy
2æ v ö
2
1 2 1 2 1 2 1
E = mv + Iw = mv + mK ç 2÷
2 2 2 2 èR ø
1 2æ K2 ö
For pure rolling v = Rw Þ E= mv ç 1 + 2 ÷
2 è R ø
q
v net = 2v cos Etranslation : Erotation : Etotal = 1 :
K2 K2
2 : 1 +
R2 R2

K2 E trans 1 E trans 1 E rotation K

= K2
2

Body = = R K2
R2 E rotation R2
2
E total 1 + KR2 E total 1 + R2

Ring 1 1 1/2 1/2

Disc 1/2 2 2/3 1/3
Solid sphere 2/5 5/2 5/7 2/7
Spherical shell 2/3 3/2 3/5 2/5
Solid cylinder 1/2 2 2/3 1/3
Hollow cylinder 1 1 1/2 1/2
 Rolling Motion on a rough inclined plane

w m
Rolling body

height VCM = v

Inclined plane q

Applying Conservation of energy l Linear acceleration on the inclined plane

g sin q
1 2 1 2 =
mgh = mv + Iw 1 + K2 / R2
2 2
l Time taken to reach the lowest point of the plane is

2æ v ö
2
1 2 1 2s(1 + K 2 / R 2 )
mgh = 2 mv + 2 mK ç 2 ÷ t=
èR ø g sin q

K2
1 2æ K2 ö l Least, will reach first
mv ç 1 + ÷ ...(1) R2
mgh = 2
è R2 ø
K2
Maximum, will reach last
h = s sinq ...(2) R2

from (1) & (2) K2

equal, will reach together
R2
l When ring, disc, hollows sphere, solid sphere rolls
2gh 2gs sin q on same inclined plane then
VRolling = =
K2 K2
1+ 2 1+ 2 vS > vD > vH > vR aS > aD > aH > aR
R R
tS < tD < tH < tR

For a pure rolling body after one full rotation

A3
A2
A4

A1 A5
2p R
displacement of lowermost point =2pR

distance = 8R

The locus of this particle is called cycloid.