![]() CATEGORIES: BiologyChemistryConstructionCultureEcologyEconomyElectronicsFinanceGeographyHistoryInformaticsLawMathematicsMechanicsMedicineOtherPedagogyPhilosophyPhysicsPolicyPsychologySociologySportTourism |
Are Angular Quantities Vectors?We can describe the position, velocity, and acceleration of a single particle by means of vectors. If the particle is confined to a straight line, however, we do not really need vector notation. Such a particle has only two directions available to it, and we can indicate these directions with plus and minus signs. In the same way, a rigid body rotating about a fixed axis can rotate only clockwise or counterclockwise as seen along the axis, and again we can select between the two directions by means of plus and minus signs. The question arises: "Can we treat the angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration of a rotating body as vectors?" The answer is a qualified "yes" In the same way, a rigid body rotating about a fixed axis can rotate only clock-
wise or counterclockwise as seen along the axis, and again we can select between the two directions by means of plus and minus signs. The question arises: "Can we treat the angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration of a rotating body as vectors?" The answer is a qualified "yes" Consider the angular velocity. Figure 1 l-6a shows a vinyl record rotating on a turntable. The record has a constant angular speed It is not easy to get used to representing angular quantities as vectors. We instinctively expect that something should be moving along the direction of a vector. That is not the case here. Instead, something (the rigid body) is rotating around the direction of the vector. In the world of pure rotation, a vector defines an axis of rotation, not a direction in which something moves. Nonetheless, the vector also defines the motion. The angular acceleration Date: 2015-01-12; view: 1886
|