Edexcel A-Level Physics Angular Velocity

Practise Edexcel A-Level Physics angular velocity by converting revolutions or periods into radians per second and using v equals omega r.

Exam points

convert revolutions per minute or period values into angular velocity in radians per second
use v equals omega r to calculate tangential speed from radius and angular velocity
combine circular-motion equations with period to decide whether a rotating system fits data

[Maximum number: 3]

Hockey is a sport played with a stick and a ball. The player tries to hit the ball with part of the stick called the 'heel', as shown.

The player swings her stick so that the heel moves horizontally in a circle of radius 0.80 m across the ground, as shown below.

It takes a time of 0.22 s for the heel to move through an angle of 1.3 radians.
Calculate the speed of the heel.

The angular speed is $\omega=\theta/t=1.3/0.22=5.9\,\mathrm{rad\,s^{-1}}$ . Hence $v=r\omega=(0.80)(5.9)=4.73\,\mathrm{m\,s^{-1}}.$

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