Angular,rotational, translational and tangential velocity

In summary, Angular velocity and rotational velocity are different names for the same thing, with the usual name being angular velocity and the measurement in degrees or radians per second. Translational velocity refers to ordinary velocity measured in meters per second, while tangential velocity is the component of ordinary velocity in the tangential direction. If a rigid body is rotating about a fixed axis with an angular velocity of ω radians per second, any point at distance r meters from the axis will have a tangential velocity of ωr meters per second.
  • #1
paperboy
6
0
can someone please explain me the differences between angular, rotational, translational and tangential vecoity pls. I am struggling to understand how their differ from each other and how they are caluclated.
 
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  • #2
hi paperboy! :smile:

angular and rotational velocity are different names for the same thing

the usual name is angular velocity, measured in degrees per second or radians per second

it's called rotational velocity when it's measured in revolutions (ie "rotations") per second or, more usually, per minute (r.p.m.), see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angular_velocity" …
When measured in cycles or rotations per unit time (e.g. revolutions per minute), it is often called the rotational velocity and its magnitude the rotational speed

translational velocity just means ordinary velocity, measured in metres per second

tangential velocity is the component of ordinary (translational) velocity in the tangential direction

for example, if a rigid body is rotating about a fixed axis, with an angular velocity of ω radians per second, then any point at distance r metres from the axis will have a purely tangential velocity, of ωr metres per second
 
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  • #3
thank you very much for the detailed answer!
 

FAQ: Angular,rotational, translational and tangential velocity

What is angular velocity?

Angular velocity is a measure of the rate at which an object rotates around a fixed point. It is typically measured in radians per second or degrees per second.

What is rotational velocity?

Rotational velocity is the speed at which an object rotates around its own axis. It is often used interchangeably with angular velocity, but can also refer to the velocity of a point on a rotating object.

What is translational velocity?

Translational velocity is the speed at which an object moves in a straight line. It is typically measured in meters per second or feet per second.

What is tangential velocity?

Tangential velocity is the speed at which an object moves along a circular path. It is always perpendicular to the radius of the circle at any given point.

How are these velocities related?

Angular velocity, rotational velocity, translational velocity, and tangential velocity are all related through the formula v = ωr, where v is the tangential velocity, ω is the angular velocity, and r is the radius of the circular path. This means that as the angular velocity increases, so does the tangential velocity.

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