Radial and transeverse acceleration

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the concepts of radial and transverse acceleration, as well as tangential and normal components of acceleration for a particle traveling along a smooth curve. Participants explore the validity of these terms and their relationships within different coordinate frames.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the resultant of radial and transverse components is valid, as is the resultant of tangential and normal components.
  • One participant argues that "radial" refers to the direction from the origin, suggesting a distinction between radial and normal components.
  • Another participant asserts that normal and tangential are directions in the Frenet-Serret frame, while radial and transverse are in the polar coordinate frame, noting they only coincide when the curve is circular.
  • A participant expresses surprise at the use of "transverse" in polar coordinates, indicating a preference for the term "circumferential."
  • Another participant mentions the term "azimuthal" and highlights confusion regarding the terms "centripetal," "radial," and "normal."

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the definitions and relationships between the terms used, indicating multiple competing views and ongoing confusion about the terminology.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved distinctions between the terms used in different coordinate systems, and participants express varying levels of familiarity with the terminology, which may affect their interpretations.

gianeshwar
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Particle is traveling along a plane smooth curve.At any point an acceleration is
1 . Resultant of radial and transeverse components?
2. Resultant of tangential and normal components?
Are both 1 and 2 valid?
 
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hi gianeshwar! :wink:

tell us what you think, and why, and then we'll comment! :smile:
 
gianeshwar said:
Particle is traveling along a plane smooth curve.At any point an acceleration is
1 . Resultant of radial and transeverse components?
2. Resultant of tangential and normal components?
Are both 1 and 2 valid?
Not only are they valid, but they are both the same thing: normal = radial, and tangential = transverse.
 
no, i think "radial" in this case is from the origin :wink:
 
Chestermiller said:
Not only are they valid, but they are both the same thing: normal = radial, and tangential = transverse.

Normal and tangential are directions in the Frenet-Serret frame. Radial and transverse are directions in the polar coordinate frame. They coincide identically only when the curve is a circle about the polar system's origin.
 
voko said:
Normal and tangential are directions in the Frenet-Serret frame. Radial and transverse are directions in the polar coordinate frame. They coincide identically only when the curve is a circle about the polar system's origin.
I guess I learned something new. I've never heard of transverse used for polar coordinates. I would have called it circumferential. Go figure.

Chet
 
I think it is also called azimuthal. There is also confusion about centripetal, whether it is "radial" or "normal". I have been confused myself :)
 

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