Rotational Motion: Physics Questions Answered

In summary, the group discussed rotational motion in a physics class and a question was posed about the effects of spinning a room while falling. It was determined that in a gravitational field without contact with the walls, the person in the room would not spin with the room and would not experience centrifugal force. The air in the room may experience some friction force but it would have minimal impact on the person.
  • #1
cheer_chic
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Okay guys, I have a serious question. In our Physics class, we were discussing rotational motion. Someone asked the question "If we were falling in a room (we're floating) and someone started to spin the room, would we still be floating? Or would we hit the walls?" If anyone could help me with that, it would be greatly appreciated! I'm going to search the web for circular motion, but who knows what I'll find! Thanks!
 
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  • #2
If you and the room were falling in gravitational field, so that you have no contact with the walls, and someone applied a force to the walls so as to make the room itself spin, you would NOT spin with it and, in particular, would no experience any "centrifugal force".

(The air in the room next to the walls would experience some friction force which would cause the air in the room to start rotating (slowly) which would affect you eventually but that would be a very small effect.)
 
  • #3


Great question! The answer is that it would depend on the initial conditions and the speed at which the room is spinning. If the room is spinning at a constant speed and the objects in the room are not initially moving, then they would continue to float as the centrifugal force from the spinning would cancel out the gravitational force. However, if the room is spinning at a high enough speed, the objects in the room could hit the walls due to the centrifugal force pushing them outward. This is similar to how a carnival ride like the Gravitron works. The key factor is the balance between the centrifugal force and the gravitational force. I hope that helps!
 

1. What is rotational motion?

Rotational motion is the movement of an object around an axis or center point. This type of motion occurs when an object rotates or spins, such as a wheel or a top.

2. What is the difference between linear and rotational motion?

Linear motion is movement in a straight line, while rotational motion is movement around a fixed point. Another key difference is that linear motion involves the entire object moving in the same direction, while rotational motion involves different parts of the object moving in different directions simultaneously.

3. What is angular velocity?

Angular velocity is a measure of how quickly an object is rotating around an axis. It is typically measured in radians per second or degrees per second.

4. What factors affect rotational motion?

The factors that affect rotational motion include the mass of the object, the distance from the axis of rotation, and the applied force or torque. The shape and distribution of mass also play a role in determining the rotational motion of an object.

5. How is rotational motion related to energy?

Rotational motion is related to energy through the concept of rotational kinetic energy. This is the energy an object possesses due to its rotation and is dependent on factors such as the object's mass and angular velocity. The conservation of energy principle also applies to rotational motion, meaning that energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred between different forms.

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