Lecture 8

Rotational Motion and Dynamics

 Outlines
• Centre of mass and gravity
• Moment of Inertia
• Rotational Kinetic Energy
• Translational equilibrium
• Rotational equilibrium
• Angular momentum
 9.3 Center of Gravity

DEFINITION OF CENTER OF GRAVITY

The center of gravity of a rigid

body is the point at which
its weight can be considered
to act when the torque due
to the weight is being calculated.

When an object has a symmetrical shape and its weight is distributed

uniformly, the center of gravity lies at its geometrical center.
9.3 Center of Gravity

W1 x1  W2 x2  
xcg 
W1  W2  
Centre of Gravity
Example 1
(a) Three objects are located in
a coordinate system as
shown in Figure a. Find the
center of gravity.

xcg 
 mx
i i

m1 x1  m2 x2  m3 x3
m i m1  m2  m3

(5.00kg)(  0.500m)  (2.00kg)(0m)  (4.00kg)(1.00m)


5.00kg  2.00kg  4.00kg
1.50kgm
  0.136m
11.0kg
y cg  0
(b)How does the answer change if the
object on the left is displaced upward
by 1.00 m and the object on the right is
displaced downward by 0.500 m (Figure
b)?

xcg  0.136 m

ycg 
 myi i

m1 y1  m2 y2  m3 y3
m i m1  m2  m3

(5.00kg)(1.00m)  (2.00kg)(0m)  (4.00kg)(-0.500m)


5.00kg  2.00kg  4.00kg
 0.273m
Example 2
Suppose a man has a height L of 173 cm and a weight w of 715 N. He is stretching out
on a uniform board supported at one end by a scale, as shown in Figure. Find the
distance of his centre of gravity from the left end of the board if the board’s weight wb
is 49 N and the scale reading F is 3.50  10 N
2

F
1.73 m

?
Wman Wbeam
350 N
 F
1.73 m

Point of
rotation ?
Wman Wbeam
350 N
 i   n   wman   wbeam   F  0
Where to put the point of rotation?

  Fr
 n F  350 N
L  1.73 m
L
2

xcg ?
Wman W
beam

 i   n   wman   wbeam   F  0
 i  0  (715N)(xcg )  (49 N)(0.865 m)+(350 N)(1.73 m)  0

xcg  0.79 m
 Moment of Inertia
FT  maT
Multiply both side by r,
FT r  mraT
Substitute a = r𝛼
FT r  mr  2

Substitute torque, 𝜏 = Fr

  mr  2

Moment of Inertia, I Unit of I = kg𝑚2

Consider a solid disk rotating about its axis. The disk
consists of many particles, all with same angular
acceleration.

𝜏=( 2
𝑚𝑟 )𝛼
𝑚𝑟 2 = 𝑚1 𝑟1 2 + 𝑚2 𝑟2 2 + 𝑚3 𝑟3 2 + ⋯

2
where,
I= 𝑚𝑟 m = mass
r = Distance from the axis of rotation

𝜏 =I𝛼 Analog to Newton’s Second Law

Other Moments of Inertia

Section 8.5
 NOTES:
Difference between thin hoop (Figure a)and hollow
cylinder (Figure d):
• Thin hoop has negligible thickness about its axis of
rotation
R2
R
R1

• Hollow cylinder with both internal radius R1 and

external radius R2 (both radii cannot be neglected)
• Sometimes, thin hoop also can be known as hollow
cylinder, but with only one radius, R.
Example 3
The Figure A shows a majorette twirls an
unusual baton made up of four spheres
fastened to ends of very light rods. Each rod is
1.0 m long.
(a) Find the moment of inertia of the baton
about an axis perpendicular to the page
and passing through the point where the
rods cross.

I   mr 2
 m r
1 1
2
 m r
2 2
2
 m r
3 3
2
 m r
4 4
2

  0.20kg  0.50m    0.30kg  0.50    0.20kg  0.50m    0.30kg  0.50m 

2 2 2 2

 0.25kgm 2
(b) The majorette tries spinning her strange
baton about the axis OO’, as shown in
Figure B. Calculate the moment of inertia of
the baton about this axis
Mass of 0.2 kg is located at the axis of rotation, hence r = 0

I   mr 2
 m r
1 1
2
 m r
2 2
2
 m r
3 3
2
 m r
4 4
2

  0.20kg  0    0.30kg  0.50    0.20kg  0    0.30kg  0.50m 

2 2 2 2

 0.15kgm 2
 Newton’s Second Law for a Rotating Object

   mr  2

• The angular acceleration is directly

proportional to the net torque
• The angular acceleration is inversely
proportional to the moment of inertia of the
object
Note: Greater the distance of the mass from axis of
rotation, greater would be the torque required to change its
rate of rotation.
Example 4
A baseball player loosening up his arm before a game tosses a 0.150 kg
baseball, using only the rotation of his forearm to accelerate the ball.
The forearm has a mass of 1.50 kg and a length of 0.350 m. The ball
starts at rest and is released with a speed of 30.0 m/s in 0.300 s. Assume
the forearm is solid cylinder.
(a) Find the angular acceleration of the arm and ball.
a  r
v  u  30  0  m/s
a   100 m/s 2
t 0.3 s
2
a 100 m/s
    286 rad/s 2
r 0.350 m
(b) Calculate the moment of inertia of the system consisting of the
forearm and ball. Treat the forearm as long straight rod

1
I ball  mr 2 I forearm  ML2
3
  0.150kg  0.350m 
2
1
 1.50kg  0.350m 
2

3
 1.84 102 kgm 2
 6.13 102 kgm 2

2
I system  I ball  I forearm  7.97  10 kgm 2
(c) Find the torque exerted on the system that results in the angular
acceleration found in part (a).
  I system
  7.97 10 kgm
2 2
 286rad/s 
2

 22.8Nm
Example 5
A solid, uniform, frictionless cylindrical
reel of mass M = 3.00 kg and radius R =
0.400 m is used to draw water from a
well. A bucket of mass m = 2.00 kg is
attached to a cord that is wrapped around
the cylinder.

1 2
given I cylinder  mr
2
(a) Find the tension T in the cord and
acceleration a of the bucket.
 For the bucket, apply NORMAL
Newton’s second law (the
bucket is not rotating)

T  mg  ma
T  ma  mg  1
For the cylinder, it is rotating, apply

and   Fr 1 2
and I cylinder  mr
2
Clockwise
rotation 1 2
T .R   MR   
2 
1
T   MR and a  R
2
1 a
T   MR  
2 R
1
T   Ma  2
2
 1
T  ma  mg  1 T   Ma  2
2
1
ma  mg   Ma
2
1
mg   Ma  ma
2
 1 
mg  a   M  m 
 2 
 2kg   9.80m/s 
2

a  5.6 m/s 2
 1 
   3kg   2kg 
 2 
 1 1
T   Ma  2 T   (3kg)(- 5.6m/s )
2

2 2
T  8.4 N
(b) If the bucket starts from rest at the top of the well and
falls for 3.00 s before hitting the water, how far does it fall?
1 2
y  v0t  at
2
1
 0   -5.6  3
2

2
 25m
 Rotational Kinetic Energy
An object rotating about some axis with an
angular speed, ω, has rotational kinetic energy

KEr = ½Iω 2

Energy concepts can be useful for simplifying

the analysis of rotational motion
 Conservation of Energy
Conservation of Mechanical Energy
Ei  E f
 KE t  KEr  PE g  PEs    KEt  KEr  PE g  PEs 
i f

Translational rotational =
= normal rotation
kinetic energy kinetic energy

– Remember, this is for conservative forces, no

dissipative forces such as friction can be present
– Potential energies of any other conservative forces
could be added
 Work-Energy in a Rotating System
In the case where there are dissipative forces
such as friction, use the generalized Work-
Energy Theorem instead of Conservation of
Energy

Wnc  E f  Ei
 (KE t  KEr  PE g  PE s )f  (KE t  KEr  PE g  PE s )i
Example 6
A ball of mass M and radius R
starts from rest at a height of
2.00 m and rolls down a 30°
slope as in figure. What is the
linear speed of the ball when it
leaves the incline? Assume that
the ball rolls without slipping.

The ball is rotating and

travelling at the same time. so 2 2
there are 2 types of kinetic given I sphere  mr
energy: translational (normal 5
KE) and rotational KE
 Ei  E f
 KE t  KEr  PE g  PEs    KEt  KEr  PE g  PEs 
i f

1 1 2
Mgh  Mv  I 
2

2 2
1 12 2 2
Mgh  Mv   MR  
2

2 25 
 1 12 2 2
Mgh  Mv   MR  
2
And v  r
2 25 
2
1 12 2  v 
Mgh  Mv   MR   
2

2 25  R 
1 1  2 2  v 2

Mgh  Mv   MR   2 
2

2 25  R 
 1 12 2
Mgh  Mv   Mv 
2

2 25 
7
Mgh  Mv 2

10
10
v gh
7

v
10
7
 9.80 m/s 2
 2 m
v  5.29 m/s 2
Example 7
Two blocks with masses m1 = 5.00
kg and m2 = 7.00 kg are attached by
a string as in figure, over a pulley
with mass M = 2.00 kg. The pulley,
which turns on a frictionless axle, is
a hollow cylinder with radius 0.050
m over which the string moves
without slipping. The horizontal
surface has coefficient of kinetic
friction 0.350. Find the speed of
the system when the block of mass
m2 has dropped 2.00 m.
1 2
Ans: 3.83 m/s given I cylinder  mr
2
 KEt
KEr

Friction
KE & PEg
2m

0
How to relate friction with energy? Work – energy theoram
W friction   KEt m1   KEt m 2  KEr  PEg

 Fk .x   KE f  KEi     KE f  KEi  

 t  m1  t  m2

  KE f  KEi    PE f  PEi  

r  g m2

1 1 1 2
 k nx  m1v  m2v  I   m2 gh
2 2

2 2 2
v
And n  m1 g I cylinder
1 2
 mr v  r   
2 r
  2

 k  m1 g  h  m1v 2  m2v 2   Mr 2   2
1 1 1 v
  m2 gh
2 2 2 r 
1 1 1
 k  m1 g  h  m1v  m2 v  Mv  m2 gh
2 2 2

2 2 2
1
m2 gh  k  m1 g  h   m1  m2  M  v 2

2 gh  m2  k m1 
v
m1  m2  M
v  3.83m/s
 Angular Momentum
Angular momentum is defined as

L=Iω
and
L
  t
 Conservation of Angular Momentum
When
  0
L L f  Li I f  f  I ii
  t  t  t  0
Hence

Li  L f or I ii  I f  f
Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
 Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
• With hands and feet drawn
closer to the body, the
skater’s angular speed
increases
– L is conserved, I decreases, 
increases

Li  L f or I ii  I f  f
 Conservation of Angular Momentum,
Example
• Coming out of the spin,
arms and legs are
extended and rotation
is slowed
– L is conserved, I
increases,  decreases

Li  L f or I ii  I f  f
Example 8
A student sits on a pivoted stool while holding a pair of weights as in
Figure (next slide). The stool is free to rotate about a vertical axis with
negligible friction. The moment of inertia of student, weights, and stool
is 2.25 kgm2. The student is set in rotation with arms outstretched,
making one complete turn every 1.26 s.
(a) What is the initial angular speed of the system?
making one complete turn every 1.26 s.

2
i   4.99 rad/s
T
b)As he rotates, he pulls the weights inward so that the new moment of
inertia of the system becomes 1.80 kgm2. What is the new angular
speed of the system?
Li  L f
I ii  I f  f
 2.25kgm   4.99rad/s   1.80kgm   
2 2
f

 f  6.24rad/s
c)Find the work done by the student on the system while pulling in the
weights. Ignore energy lost.

Wstudent  KEr
1 1
 I f  f  I ii
2 2

2 2
 1.80kgm   6.24rad/s    2.25kgm   4.99rad/s 
1 2 2 1 2 2

2 2

 7.03J
Example 9
A merry-go-round modeled as a disk of mass M = 1.00 X 102 kg and radius R = 2.00 m is
rotating in a horizontal plane about a frictionless vertical axle as in Figure (next slide).

1
I Disc  MR 2
2
I Student  mR 2
(a) After a student with mass m = 60.0 kg jumps on the rim of the
merry-go-round, the system’s angular speed decreases to 2.00
rad/s. If the student walks slowly from the edge toward the centre,
find the angular speed of the system when she reaches a point
0.500 m from the centre.
Li  L f
I ii  I f  f
I i  I disc  I student
1
I Disc  MR 2
2
I Student  mR 2
I f  I disc  I student
 I i  I disc  I student
 MR  1 10   2.00   2  10 2 kgm 2
1 2 1 2 2
I Disc
2 2
I Student  mR   60  2   2.40  102 kgm 2
2 2

I total  2  102 kgm 2  2.40  10 2 kgm 2  440kgm 2

1
I Disc  MR 2
2
I Student  mR 2
I f  I disc  I student
 MR  1 10   2.00   2  10 2 kgm 2
1 2 1 2 2
I Disc
2 2
I Student  mr   60  0.5   15.0 kgm 2
2 2
f

I total  2  102 kgm 2  15.0 kgm 2  215 kgm 2

 I ii  I f  f

 440  2    215  f
 f  4.09 rad/s
b)Find the change in the system’s rotational kinetic energy caused by her
movement to r = 0.500 m.
1 1
KEr  I f  f  I ii
2 2

2 2
1 1
KEr   215  4.09    440  2 
2 2

2 2
KEr  918 J ~ 920 J
c)Find the work done on the student as she walks to r = 0.500 m.

Wstudent  KEr
1 1
 I f  f  I ii
2 2

2 2
1 1
 15  4.09    240  2 
2 2

2 2
 354.5 J ~ -355J