Calculating Angle of Wheel Rotation for Rolling Bicycle

In summary: I was thinking that the angular displacement would relate to the wheel's angle, but it seems that the angular displacement and the wheel's angle are related in a different way than I anticipated.
  • #1
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Homework Statement


A bicycle is rolling down a circular hill that has a radius of 9.00m. The angular displacement of the bike is 0.960rad. The radius of each wheel is 0.400m. What is the angle (in radians) through which each tyre rotates ?


Notes on question :
- wheels are in rolling motion (involves rotation)
- bicycle speed and wheel speed is angular


Homework Equations


angle = 1/2 (Wo + W)t
angle = WoT + 1/2(angular displacement)Tsquared



The Attempt at a Solution


From theoretical point, would jus like to know how to approach the question as the only given data is displacement and length. If I could calcualte 2 more variables I can use a kinematics equation.
 
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  • #2
Welcome to PF :smile:

I don't understand the situation being described. In particular, what does this mean:

The angular displacement of the bike is 0.960rad.​

Does this refer to the bike's position on the circular hill? If so, does a displacement of 0rad correspond to the top or bottom of the hill, or somewhere else? Is the hill itself a full circle, a semicircle, or some other portion of a circle?

I suspect the key is to figure out over what distance the bike travels. Angular velocities and accelerations don't seem to play a role here.
 
  • #3
Thanx for the welcome

The angular displacement refers to the distance the bicycle has traveled on the circular path.

The hill could be imagined be a circle. I tried to approach the question from a rolling motion point of view, whereas the linear speed and angular speed has a relation, but seeing that the bike is not traveling on a straight line it's not the rite way.

Doesnt the bike's angular displacement relate to the wheel's angle ? Seeing that both object are rotating around a fixed axis
 

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  • #4
I can't see your figure yet, but it sounds like you'll need the arc-length formula. That's the formula which relates arc-length, radius, and angular displacement for a circle.
 

Related to Calculating Angle of Wheel Rotation for Rolling Bicycle

1. How do you calculate the angle of wheel rotation for a rolling bicycle?

The angle of wheel rotation for a rolling bicycle can be calculated using the formula: θ = s/r, where θ is the angle of rotation in radians, s is the distance traveled by the wheel, and r is the radius of the wheel.

2. What is the relationship between the angle of wheel rotation and the distance traveled?

The angle of wheel rotation is directly proportional to the distance traveled by the wheel. This means that the larger the angle of rotation, the greater the distance traveled.

3. How do you measure the radius of a bicycle wheel?

The radius of a bicycle wheel can be measured by using a ruler or measuring tape to measure the distance from the center of the wheel to the edge of the wheel. It is important to measure from the center since the radius is the distance from the center to the outer edge of the wheel.

4. What unit is used to measure the angle of wheel rotation?

The angle of wheel rotation is typically measured in radians. This unit is commonly used in mathematics and physics to measure angles and rotations.

5. Why is it important to calculate the angle of wheel rotation for a rolling bicycle?

Calculating the angle of wheel rotation is important because it helps determine the distance traveled by the bicycle. This information can be useful for various purposes, such as calculating speed, time, and distance, or for designing and improving bicycles and other vehicles.

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