A torque τ is applied to a rotating object with moment of inertia I. If the obje
Practice Questions
Q1
A torque τ is applied to a rotating object with moment of inertia I. If the object starts from rest, what is its angular acceleration α?
τ/I
I/τ
Iτ
τI
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
A torque τ is applied to a rotating object with moment of inertia I. If the object starts from rest, what is its angular acceleration α?
Step 1: Understand that torque (τ) is a force that causes an object to rotate.
Step 2: Know that moment of inertia (I) is a measure of how difficult it is to change the rotation of an object.
Step 3: Recall Newton's second law for rotation, which states that torque (τ) is equal to moment of inertia (I) multiplied by angular acceleration (α).
Step 4: Write the equation from Step 3: τ = Iα.
Step 5: To find angular acceleration (α), rearrange the equation to solve for α: α = τ/I.
Step 6: This means that angular acceleration is equal to the torque divided by the moment of inertia.
Torque and Angular Acceleration – The relationship between torque, moment of inertia, and angular acceleration is defined by the equation τ = Iα, where τ is torque, I is moment of inertia, and α is angular acceleration.
Newton's Second Law for Rotation – This principle extends Newton's second law from linear motion to rotational motion, indicating how forces (torques) affect the motion of rotating bodies.