What is the relationship between period, frequency, and angular velocity?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the relationship between period, frequency, and angular velocity in the context of rotational motion. Participants express confusion regarding the distinctions between these concepts and their units of measurement.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the definitions of period and frequency, questioning how frequency relates to centripetal velocity. There is a suggestion that angular velocity may be the intended term, with discussions about the units of measurement for angular velocity and its relationship to frequency.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively engaging with the concepts, raising questions about terminology and units. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between angular velocity and frequency, but there is no explicit consensus on the terminology used.

Contextual Notes

There is a mention of confusion regarding the term "centripetal velocity," which may not be a standard term in the context discussed. Participants are also considering the implications of using different units such as revolutions per minute and radians per second.

bfusco
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Homework Statement


im confused on something. if the period is the amount of time to make 1 spin once, and the frequency is the inverse of that, i don't understand how frequency isn't the same thing as centripetal velocity.
 
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bfusco said:

Homework Statement


im confused on something. if the period is the amount of time to make 1 spin once, and the frequency is the inverse of that, i don't understand how frequency isn't the same thing as centripetal velocity.

I have heard of Centripetal acceleration, but never centripetal velocity??

Do you perhaps mean angular velocity ω - which I have often seen written in radians per second, not (full) cycles per second, so they would vary by a factor of 2∏
 
bfusco said:

Homework Statement


im confused on something. if the period is the amount of time to make 1 spin once, and the frequency is the inverse of that, i don't understand how frequency isn't the same thing as centripetal velocity.

Perhaps because there's no such thing as centripetal velocity? :smile:

Are you thinking of angular velocity? The units of that are radians per second. This is not the same thing as cycles per second (frequency), since in rotational motion a "cycle" comprises ##2\pi## radians of angular distance. Thus ω = ##2\pi f##.
 
gneill said:
Perhaps because there's no such thing as centripetal velocity? :smile:

Are you thinking of angular velocity? The units of that are radians per second. This is not the same thing as cycles per second (frequency), since in rotational motion a "cycle" comprises ##2\pi## radians of angular distance. Thus ω = ##2\pi f##.

wait...can angular velocity be calculated in revs/minute, or radians/sec? i thought that the revs/min was "centripetal velocity", and radians/sec was angular velocity
 
bfusco said:
wait...can angular velocity be calculated in revs/minute, or radians/sec? i thought that the revs/min was "centripetal velocity", and radians/sec was angular velocity

RPM, RPS, and radians/sec are all measures of angular velocity. They are all related by conversion actors. A "revolution" is ##2 \pi## radians.
 
gneill said:
RPM, RPS, and radians/sec are all measures of angular velocity. They are all related by conversion actors. A "revolution" is ##2 \pi## radians.

oh...didnt know that
 

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