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Analogy of rotational and translational kinetic energy

Is rotational kinetic energy completely analogous to translational kinetic energy? What, if any, are their differences? Give an example of each type of kinetic energy.

Yes, rotational and translational kinetic energy are exact analogs. They both are the energy of motion involved with the coordinated (non-random) movement of mass relative to some reference frame. The only difference between rotational and translational kinetic energy is that translational is straight line motion while rotational is not. An example of both kinetic and translational kinetic energy is found in a bike tire while being ridden down a bike path. The rotational motion of the tire means it has rotational kinetic energy while the movement of the bike along the path means the tire also has translational kinetic energy. If you were to lift the front wheel of the bike and spin it while the bike is stationary, then the wheel would have only rotational kinetic energy relative to the Earth.

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Test prep for ap courses

Gear A, which turns clockwise, meshes with gear B, which turns counterclockwise. When more force is applied through gear A, torque is created. How does the angular velocity of gear B change as a result?

  1. It increases in magnitude.
  2. It decreases in magnitude.
  3. It changes direction.
  4. It stays the same.

(a)

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Which will cause a greater increase in the angular velocity of a disk: doubling the torque applied or halving the radius at which the torque is applied? Explain.

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Which measure would not be useful to help you determine the change in angular velocity when the torque on a fishing reel is increased?

  1. the radius of the reel
  2. the amount of line that unspools
  3. the angular momentum of the fishing line
  4. the time it takes the line to unspool

(c)

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What data could you collect to study the change in angular velocity when two people push a merry-go-round instead of one, providing twice as much torque? How would you use the data you collect?

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Section summary

  • The rotational kinetic energy KE rot size 12{ ital "KE" rSub { size 8{ ital "rot"} } } {} for an object with a moment of inertia I and an angular velocity ω size 12{ω} {} is given by
    KE rot = 1 2 2 . size 12{"KE" rSub { size 8{"rot"} } = { {1} over {2} } Iω rSup { size 8{2} } } {}
  • Helicopters store large amounts of rotational kinetic energy in their blades. This energy must be put into the blades before takeoff and maintained until the end of the flight. The engines do not have enough power to simultaneously provide lift and put significant rotational energy into the blades.
  • Work and energy in rotational motion are completely analogous to work and energy in translational motion.
  • The equation for the work-energy theorem    for rotational motion is,
    net W = 1 2 2 1 2 I ω 0 2 . size 12{"net "W= { {1} over {2} } Iω rSup { size 8{2} } - { {1} over {2} } Iω rSub { size 8{0} rSup { size 8{2} } } } {}

Conceptual questions

Describe the energy transformations involved when a yo-yo is thrown downward and then climbs back up its string to be caught in the user's hand.

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Source:  OpenStax, College physics for ap® courses. OpenStax CNX. Nov 04, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11844/1.14
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