Question

Starting from rest, a disk rotates about its central axis with constant angular acceleration. In 1.00 s, it rotates 21.0 rad. During that time, what are the magnitudes of (a) the angular acceleration and (b) the average angular velocity? (c) What is the instantaneous angular velocity of the disk at the end of the 1.00 s? (d) With the angular acceleration unchanged, through what additional angle (rad) will the disk turn during the next 1.00 s?

Answer 1

With constant angular acceleration $\alpha$, the disk achieves an angular velocity $\omega$ at time $t$ according to

$\omega=\alpha t$

and angular displacement $\theta$ according to

$\theta=\dfrac12\alpha t^2$

a. So after 1.00 s, having rotated 21.0 rad, it must have undergone an acceleration of

$21.0\,\mathrm{rad}=\dfrac12\alpha(1.00\,\mathrm s)^2\implies\alpha=42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\mathrm s^2}$

b. Under constant acceleration, the average angular velocity is equivalent to

$\omega_{\rm avg}=\dfrac{\omega_f+\omega_i}2$

where $\omega_f$ and $\omega_i$ are the final and initial angular velocities, respectively. Then

$\omega_{\rm avg}=\dfrac{\left(42.0\frac{\rm rad}{\mathrm s^2}\right)(1.00\,\mathrm s)}2=42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\rm s}$

c. After 1.00 s, the disk has instantaneous angular velocity

$\omega=\left(42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\mathrm s^2}\right)(1.00\,\mathrm s)=42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\rm s}$

d. During the next 1.00 s, the disk will start moving with the angular velocity $\omega_0$ equal to the one found in part (c). Ignoring the 21.0 rad it had rotated in the first 1.00 s interval, the disk will rotate by angle $\theta$ according to

$\theta=\omega_0t+\dfrac12\alpha t^2$

which would be equal to

$\theta=\left(42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\rm s}\right)(1.00\,\mathrm s)+\dfrac12\left(42.0\dfrac{\rm rad}{\mathrm s^2}\right)(1.00\,\mathrm s)^2=63.0\,\mathrm{rad}$