Angular Speed
Contents
Key Stage 5
Meaning
Angular speed is the rate at which an object moves through an angle.
About Angular Speed
- Measured in radians per second (rad/s).
- Describes the rotational speed of an object.
- Different from linear speed, which measures movement along a straight path.
- Angular speed can be calculated by dividing the angular displacement by the time taken.
- Angular speed is a scalar quantity, representing the magnitude of the rotational motion.
- Angular speed is constant in uniform circular motion.
Formula
v = rω
Where:
v is angular speed
r is the radius of the circular path being followed
and
ω is the angular frequency
Examples
- A rotating fan blade has a constant angular speed.
- The angular speed of Earth’s rotation affects the length of a day.