Net torque changes a body’s angular velocity according to its moment of inertia.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Read time
5 min
Prerequisites
Basic algebra, consistent units, and the stated model assumptions
Source
OpenStax, College Physics 2e, §10.3 (Paul Peter Urone and Roger Hinrichs)OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Net torque changes a body’s angular velocity according to its moment of inertia. A larger inertia requires a larger net torque for the same angular acceleration.
| Symbol | Meaning | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Torque | ||
| Moment of Inertia | ||
| Angular Acceleration |
Estimate net torque for a specified angular acceleration.
Compare torque requirements for different inertias.
A rotor with moment of inertia 4 kg·m² has angular acceleration +2.5 rad/s². Find the net torque about its shaft.
OpenFormulaGraph equation reference; FormuLab adaptation details and license are provided below.
Adapted from OpenFormulaGraph, under CC BY 4.0.
FormuLab adapted wording, notation, applicability conditions and topic placement, and expanded the numerical check into a worked example.
Assumptions
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