In circular motion, What does it mean s = r.θ?

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SUMMARY

The equation s = rθ defines the relationship between arc length (s), radius (r), and angle in radians (θ) in circular motion. This formula indicates that the arc length is directly proportional to the angle subtended at the center of the circle. The derivation of this equation shows that the constant of proportionality (k) is equal to the radius of the circle, confirming that s = rθ holds true for all circular arcs. This fundamental concept is essential for understanding angular displacement in physics.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of circular motion principles
  • Familiarity with radians as a unit of angular measurement
  • Basic knowledge of geometry, specifically properties of circles
  • Ability to manipulate algebraic equations
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  • Explore the concept of angular velocity and its relationship to linear velocity
  • Learn about the applications of arc length in real-world scenarios
  • Study the derivation of the unit circle and its significance in trigonometry
  • Investigate the relationship between angular displacement and rotational motion
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This discussion is beneficial for physics students, educators, and anyone interested in the mathematical foundations of circular motion and angular displacement.

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In the circular motion, What does it mean by this equation s = r.θ?
 
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S=rø is the formula for arc length, or angular displacement (ø rad).

R is the radius
Ø is the angle measure in radians.
 
arctheta.png


The scheme is not perfect but I think you get the idea...

If you want to know how this equation is proved:

Due to symmetry of the circle we can assume that the arc length ##s## will be directly proportional to the angle ##\theta##. So it will be

##s=k\theta## (1) for some constant k.

But we know for angle ##2\pi## corresponds arc length ##2\pi r##. So if we apply equation (1) for those pair of data we get

##2\pi r=k (2\pi)## from which we can deduce that the constant k is actually the radius of the circle, ##k=r##.
 

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