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If the bicycle in the preceding example had been on its wheels instead of upside-down, it would first have accelerated along the ground and then come to a stop. This connection between circular motion and linear motion needs to be explored. For example, it would be useful to know how linear and angular acceleration are related. In circular motion, linear acceleration is tangent to the circle at the point of interest, as seen in [link] . Thus, linear acceleration is called tangential acceleration     a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} .

In the figure, a semicircle is drawn, with its radius r, shown here as a line segment. The anti-clockwise motion of the circle is shown with an arrow on the path of the circle. Tangential velocity vector, v, of the point, which is on the meeting point of radius with the circle, is shown as a green arrow and the linear acceleration, a-t is shown as a yellow arrow in the same direction along v.
In circular motion, linear acceleration a size 12{a} {} , occurs as the magnitude of the velocity changes: a size 12{a} {} is tangent to the motion. In the context of circular motion, linear acceleration is also called tangential acceleration a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} .

Linear or tangential acceleration refers to changes in the magnitude of velocity but not its direction. We know from Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation that in circular motion centripetal acceleration, a c size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} , refers to changes in the direction of the velocity but not its magnitude. An object undergoing circular motion experiences centripetal acceleration, as seen in [link] . Thus, a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} and a c size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} are perpendicular and independent of one another. Tangential acceleration a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} is directly related to the angular acceleration α size 12{α} {} and is linked to an increase or decrease in the velocity, but not its direction.

In the figure, a semicircle is drawn, with its radius r, shown here as a line segment. The anti-clockwise motion of the circle is shown with an arrow on the path of the circle. Tangential velocity vector, v, of the point, which is on the meeting point of radius with the circle, is shown as a green arrow and the linear acceleration, a sub t is shown as a yellow arrow in the same direction along v. The centripetal acceleration, a sub c, is also shown as a yellow arrow drawn perpendicular to a sub t, toward the direction of the center of the circle. A label in the figures states a sub t affects magnitude and a sub c affects direction.
Centripetal acceleration a c size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} occurs as the direction of velocity changes; it is perpendicular to the circular motion. Centripetal and tangential acceleration are thus perpendicular to each other.

Now we can find the exact relationship between linear acceleration a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} and angular acceleration α size 12{α} {} . Because linear acceleration is proportional to a change in the magnitude of the velocity, it is defined (as it was in One-Dimensional Kinematics ) to be

a t = Δ v Δ t . size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } = { {Δv} over {Δt} } "."} {}

For circular motion, note that v = size 12{v=rω} {} , so that

a t = Δ Δ t . size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } = { {Δ left (rω right )} over {Δt} } "."} {}

The radius r size 12{r} {} is constant for circular motion, and so Δ ( ) = r ( Δ ω ) size 12{Δ \( rω \) =r \( Δω \) } {} . Thus,

a t = r Δ ω Δ t . size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } =r { {Δω} over {Δt} } "."} {}

By definition, α = Δ ω Δ t size 12{α= { {Δω} over {Δt} } } {} . Thus,

a t = , size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } =rα} {}

or

α = a t r . size 12{α= { {a rSub { size 8{t} } } over {r} } } {}

These equations mean that linear acceleration and angular acceleration are directly proportional. The greater the angular acceleration is, the larger the linear (tangential) acceleration is, and vice versa. For example, the greater the angular acceleration of a car’s drive wheels, the greater the acceleration of the car. The radius also matters. For example, the smaller a wheel, the smaller its linear acceleration for a given angular acceleration α size 12{α} {} .

Calculating the angular acceleration of a motorcycle wheel

A powerful motorcycle can accelerate from 0 to 30.0 m/s (about 108 km/h) in 4.20 s. What is the angular acceleration of its 0.320-m-radius wheels? (See [link] .)

The figure shows the right side view of a man riding a motorcycle hence, depicting linear acceleration a of the motorcycle pointing toward the front of the bike as a horizontal arrow and the angular acceleration alpha of its wheels, shown here as curved arrows along the front of both the wheels pointing downward.
The linear acceleration of a motorcycle is accompanied by an angular acceleration of its wheels.

Strategy

We are given information about the linear velocities of the motorcycle. Thus, we can find its linear acceleration a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} . Then, the expression α = a t r size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } =rα,`````α= { {a rSub { size 8{t} } } over {r} } } {} can be used to find the angular acceleration.

Solution

The linear acceleration is

a t = Δ v Δ t = 30.0 m/s 4.20 s = 7.14 m/s 2 . alignl { stack { size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } = { {Δv} over {Δt} } } {} #`````= { {"30" "." 0" m/s"} over {4 "." "20 s"} } {} # `````=7 "." "14"" m/s" rSup { size 8{2} "."} {}} } {}

We also know the radius of the wheels. Entering the values for a t size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } } {} and r size 12{r} {} into α = a t r size 12{a rSub { size 8{t} } =rα,`````α= { {a rSub { size 8{t} } } over {r} } } {} , we get

α = a t r = 7.14 m/s 2 0.320 m = 22.3 rad/s 2 . alignl { stack { size 12{α= { {a rSub { size 8{t} } } over {r} } } {} #```= { {7 "." "14"" m/s" rSup { size 8{2} } } over {0 "." "320 m"} } {} # " "="22" "." "3 rad/s" rSup { size 8{2} } {}} } {}

Discussion

Units of radians are dimensionless and appear in any relationship between angular and linear quantities.

Practice Key Terms 3

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Source:  OpenStax, Physics 101. OpenStax CNX. Jan 07, 2013 Download for free at http://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11479/1.1
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