ROTATIONAL DYNAMICS

Translational Acceleration of Objects

Rolling Down an Inclined Plane
Prepared by: Nimrod Romelo
 Objectives
At the end of the 10 minute discussion, the participants should
be able to:
• Calculate the translational acceleration of rolling objects on an
inclined plane.
• Determine the factors that affect the translational acceleration of
rolling objects on an inclined plane.
RA > RB, MA = MB, θA = θB
Which of them reaches point C first?

A B

θ θ
C C
RA = RB, MA > MB, θA = θB
Which of them reaches point C first?

A B

θ θ
C C
RA = RB, MA = MB, θA = θB
Which of them reaches point C first?

A B

θ θ
C C
Deriving the Formula for
Acceleration
AN OVERVIEW
 1. Draw a free-body diagram
and identify all the force
components
Ffriction = Mgcos(θ)μ
ω
N

Q R

Mgsin(θ)
θ
Mgcos(θ) = N
v
a
Mg
2. Assume Pure Roll (no slipping)
𝑣𝑄 = 𝑣𝑅 = 𝜔𝑅 𝑎
𝛼=
a = 𝜔𝑅
ሶ = 𝛼𝑅 𝑅
3. Use the General Equations of Motion

෍ 𝐹𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝑀𝑎
Solve for a
෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝐼𝛼
 ෍ 𝐹𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝑀𝑎
Ffriction = Mgcos(θ)μ
N
ω • Mgsin(θ ) and Friction

Q R

Mgsin(θ)
෍ 𝜏𝑒𝑥𝑡 = 𝐼𝛼
θ
Mgcos(θ) = N • Friction only

Mg
 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
𝒂= 𝑰 )
𝟏+
𝑴𝑹𝟐

FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE ACCELERATION:

1. ANGLE OF INCLINATION (𝜽)

2. MOMENT OF INERTIA (I)
NOTE: THIS APPLIES FOR A PURE ROLL ONLY
 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
𝒂=
𝑰
𝟏 +
𝑴𝑹𝟐
Moment of Acceleration
Geometry
Inertia (I) (a)
1 2
𝟐
Solid Cylinder 𝐼 = 𝑀𝑅 𝒂 = 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
2 𝟑
𝟏
Hollow Cylinder 𝐼 = 𝑀𝑅 2 𝒂 = 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
𝟐
RA = RB, MA = MB, θA = θB
Which of them reaches point C first?

𝟏 𝟐
𝒂= 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽 𝒂= 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
A 𝟐 B 𝟑

θ θ
C C
Why is this the case?
THINK ABOUT ENERGY CONSERVATION
 𝟏 𝟐
𝒂= 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽 𝒂= 𝒈𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽
A 𝟐 B 𝟑

𝑷𝑬 = 𝒎𝒈𝒉 𝑷𝑬 = 𝒎𝒈𝒉

PEA = PEB

θ θ
C C
PE
1
𝐼= 𝑀𝑅2 𝐼 = 𝑀𝑅2
2
KE

Ktotal = Krotational + Ktranslational

𝟏 𝟐 𝟏
𝑲𝑻𝒐𝒕𝒂𝒍 = 𝑰𝝎 + 𝒎𝒗𝟐
𝟐 𝟐
Sample Problem
You overturned a box full of golf balls and
ping pong balls on a uniformly sloped hill
with angle of 20 degrees and observed that
they have different rolling velocities.
Calculate the acceleration of each type of
ball and determine which of them has the
higher acceleration.

Assumptions:

Let, Golf ball ≈ solid sphere

Ping-Pong ball ≈ hollow sphere

Rolling balls satisfy Pure Roll (no slipping)

 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝜋
Solution: 𝑎= θ = 20° =
𝐼 9
1 +
𝑀𝑅 2
2 2
𝐼𝐺𝑜𝑙𝑓 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 𝑀𝑅2 𝐼𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑃𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝐵𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 𝑀𝑅2
5 3
𝑚 𝑚
(9.81 2 )𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜋/9 (9.81 2 )𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜋/9
𝑎= 𝑠 𝑎= 𝑠
2 2
𝑀𝑅2 𝑀𝑅 2
1 + 5 2 1 + 3 2
𝑀𝑅 𝑀𝑅

𝒎 𝒎
𝒂𝒈𝒐𝒍𝒇 = 𝟐. 𝟒𝟎 𝟐 𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒈 = 𝟐. 𝟎𝟏 𝟐
𝒔 𝒔
 Conclusion
• FOR ANY HOMOGENEOUS OBJECT ROLLING ON AN INCLINED
PLANE AND IN PURE ROLL, THE FACTORS AFFECTING ITS
TRANSLATIONAL ACCELERATION ARE THE ANGLE OF
INCLINATION AND THE MOMENT OF INERTIA ONLY.
• ANY HOMOGENEOUS OBJECTS ROLLING ON THE SAME INCLINED
PLANE UNDER PURE ROLL, REGARDLESS OF THEIR MASS AND
RADIUS, WILL HAVE THE SAME TRANSLATIONAL ACCELERATION IF
THEY HAVE THE SAME MOMENT OF INERTIA.
Thank you!
ANY QUESTIONS?