Independent/Group Work
November 15th 2018
Name:
Linear and Angular Speed Practice
1. You are in Six Flags on a ferris wheel with your reckless friend Marcus. The radius of the
ferris wheel is 15 meters. The ferris wheel rotates at a rate of 6 rotations per minute.
Marcus decides it would be a fun idea to climb out of his seat and closer to the center of
the ferris wheel. He invites you to join him but you can’t because it is not a safe and
secure space. He climbs 4 meters down the beam towards the center of the ferris wheel.
I.
What are your linear speeds in terms of meters?
II.
Who will have the greater circular displacement after 5 minutes? (Hint: Which
will have traveled the bigger distance? By how much?
2. A car with tires 50 cm in diameter travels 10 meters in 1 second. What is the angular
speed?
3. The angular speed of a wheel with a radius of 20 cm is 120 rpm. What is the distance the
car travels in 10 seconds.
4. A gear (G1) in the Fisher clock tower with a total radius of 3 meters moves in the
counterclockwise direction, causing an interlocking gear (G2) with an outer radius of 7
meters to move clockwise at an angular speed of (W2) = 12 rotations/minute.
I.
What is the Angular Speed (W1) of the first gear ?
II.
How many rotations must the first gear make in order to have the clock make a
full hours rotation? Assume the second gear has a direct relationship with the
minute hand of the clock.
5. The blades of a ceiling fan are 26 inches long, but the fan’s entire diameter is 70 inches.
It spins at a rate of 100 rpm.
I.
What is the linear speed of point A on the outer edge of the blade? Hint: r  35
II.
What is the linear speed of point B on the inner edge of the blade? Hint: r  35-26
III.
What is the linear speed of point C at the center of the fan? Hint: r  0