Rotational Motion Vocab

The component of a force applied perpendicular to a lever arm. Torque is the product of the length of a lever arm and the force applied perpendicular to a lever arm. Torque can have clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

• centripetal acceleration

• lever/moment Arm

• radian

• torque

An object turning without moving its center of mass, like a spinning top.

• rotation

• revolution

• rigid body

• axis of rotation

The component of force acting on a body in curvilinear motion that is directed toward the center of curvature or axis of rotation.

• torque

• centripetal force

• centripetal acceleration

• angular momentum

A movement of an object along the circumference of a circle or rotation along a circular path.

• rotational inertia

• circular motion

• centripetal acceleration

• angular velocity

The distance around the edge of a circle of radius 1.

• lever/moment arm

• axis of rotation

• revolution

• radian

Objects that do not undergo any deformation when subject to a force (or forces). Rigid bodies are in an idealized state.

• rigid bodies

• revolution

• rotation

• lever/moment arm

The acceleration toward the center that keeps an object following a circular path.

• centripetal force

• centripetal acceleration

• gravity

• rotational inertia

How quickly an object is turning.

• rotation

• angular velocity

• angular momentum

• rotational inertia

A natural phenomenon by which physical bodies appear to attract each other with a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the distance separating them.

• centripetal force

• torque

• centripetal acceleration

• gravity

The handle/arm of a wrench.

• axis of rotation

• rigid bodies

• radian

• lever/moment arm