Physical units problem for a DC Motor with viscous friction

AI Thread Summary
The discussion revolves around the conversion of the viscous friction coefficient for a DC motor from Newton-meter-second (N*m*s) to Newton-meter-second per radian (N*m*s/rad). It clarifies that radians are dimensionless and that there is no conversion factor between N*m*s and N*m*s/rad, as they represent different contexts (linear vs. rotational). The participants emphasize that while angular measurements can be expressed in various forms, the viscous friction coefficient is typically represented as N*m*s/rad for rotational systems. Confusion arises from varying representations in exercises, but the fundamental understanding of radians as dimensionless remains consistent. Ultimately, the discussion highlights the importance of correctly interpreting units in the context of rotational dynamics.
IzitoI
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Homework Statement
30*10^-6 N*m*s
Relevant Equations
x N*m*s/rad
Hi everyone,

I'm trying to derive DC motor differential equations. I have some doubts:

I have a viscous friction coefficient in terms of N*m*s. Is it possible to express it in terms of N*m*s/rad? And how?

Some exercises show this value in Newton-meter-second and others in Newton-meter-second/rad so I'm a little bit confused.

Thank you :smile:
 
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A rad is not really a unit but a dimensionless quantity. It is used to express the measure of an angle as the ratio of the length of an arc ##s## on a circle of radius ##r##, that is ##\theta = s/r##. The angular frequency ##\omega## is given by ##\omega=\frac{d\theta}{dt}## and you see it expressed sometimes as rad/s and sometimes as s-1. To answer your question, 1 s/rad = 1 s.; there is no conversion factor.
 
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kuruman said:
A rad is not really a unit but a dimensionless quantity. It is used to express the measure of an angle as the ratio of the length of an arc ##s## on a circle of radius ##r##, that is ##\theta = s/r##. The angular frequency ##\omega## is given by ##\omega=\frac{d\theta}{dt}## and you see it expressed sometimes as rad/s and sometimes as s-1. To answer your question, 1 s/rad = 1 s.; there is no conversion factor.
I thought was like that but I wasn't sure. Thank you so much 😉
 
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IzitoI said:
Hi everyone,

I'm trying to derive DC motor differential equations. I have some doubts:

I have a viscous friction coefficient in terms of N*m*s. Is it possible to express it in terms of N*m*s/rad? And how?

Some exercises show this value in Newton-meter-second and others in Newton-meter-second/rad so I'm a little bit confused.

Thank you :smile:
There seems to be something wrong with one of your units.
For viscous friction coefficient, you can have Ns/m for linear or Nms/rad for rotational.
See e.g. https://lpsa.swarthmore.edu/Systems/MechRotating/RotMechSysElem.html
There is no Nms.

More generally, there have been many attempts to ascribe dimension to rotation, and it can be done, but it turns out to be "imaginary" in the sense that although radian has this new dimension radian2 is dimensionless.
 
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