Exploration
We have previously learned that velocity is an object’s rate of change in displacement. Velocity is often measured as meters/second. Angular velocity however, measures the rate of change in the displacement of an object as it moves around a central point.
For example, the blade of a fan has angular velocity as it turns in a circle around the center of the fan. When an object moves in a circle around a central point the angular velocity is often measured as degrees/second. We can measure an object’s angular velocity in three dimensions along the object’s x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis.
Objective
In this experiment, students will: 1. Learn how to use PocketLab to measure angular velocity along all three axes. 2. Collect and analyze angular velocity data for a person moving in three dimensions and determine how different movements affect a person’s angular velocity. 3. Understand what angular velocity is and how it changes as objects move in three dimensions.
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