Angular acceleration
Definition
Angular acceleration is the rate of change of angular velocity over time. It describes how quickly an object is rotating or spinning.
5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test
- Angular acceleration is usually denoted by the Greek letter $\alpha$.
- The unit for angular acceleration in the SI system is radians per second squared ($\text{rad/s}^2$).
- Angular acceleration can be calculated using $\alpha = \frac{d\omega}{dt}$, where $\omega$ is angular velocity and $t$ is time.
- A positive angular acceleration indicates an increase in rotational speed, while a negative value indicates a decrease.
- In fixed-axis rotation, angular acceleration is directly proportional to the net torque applied to an object.
Review Questions
- What symbol is commonly used to represent angular acceleration?
- How do you calculate angular acceleration if you know the initial and final angular velocities and the time interval?
- What does a negative value for angular acceleration indicate?
"Angular acceleration" appears in:
Related terms
Angular Velocity: The rate at which an object rotates or spins around an axis; measured in radians per second ($\text{rad/s}$).
Torque: A measure of the force that causes an object to rotate about an axis; calculated as the product of force and lever arm distance.
Moment of Inertia: A scalar quantity representing an object's resistance to rotational motion about a specific axis; depends on mass distribution.
