How to find frequency of rotational motion without knowing radius?

v_1 =3m/s, v_2 =2m/s, r_2 =r-10cm

2 Answers
Apr 2, 2017

omega = 10 (radians)/s

Explanation:

I assume that we are referring to a rigid object that rotates at a constant angular frequency omega around some axis of rotation.

We know the linear speeds v_1=3 m/s and v_2=2 m/s at two points 1 and 2 on the rotating solid, and we know that the radii (distance from the axis of rotation) r_1 and r_2 at these two points are related as r_2 = r_1 - 10cm.

For rigid rotation, it holds for any point on the solid that
omega = v/r, where v is the linear speed at that point and r is the distance from the axis of rotation.

Therefore we know that
omega = v_1/r_1 = v_2/r_2 = omega,
which gives that
v_1/r_1 = v_2/(r_1 - 10 cm).

Now we can solve for r_1 by multiplying both sides by the denominators
v_1(r_1 - 10 cm)= v_2r_1,
r_1 = 10 cm v_1/(v_1-v_2) = 30 cm.

Using our newfound knowledge of the radius r_1, we get that
omega = v_1/r_1 = (3 m/s)/(30 cm) radians= (3 m/s)/(0.3 m) radians = 10 ((radians)/s).

Check that you get the same answer when using v_2 and r_2.

Apr 2, 2017

Depends what you're asking.

Explanation:

It looks like there is a typo in your question. If what you are really saying is this: r_2= r_color(red)(1) -10cm then:

omega = 3/r_1 = 2/(r_1 - 10) implies r_1 = 30 " cm" implies omega = 10 "rad/s"