[Physics] How rotating body have same angular velocity and acceleration

angular velocityreference framesrigid-body-dynamicsrotational-kinematics

Does a body rotating about a fixed axis have to be perfectly rigid for all points on the body to have the same angular velocity and the same angular acceleration

Best Answer

In general, yes. If different parts of the body have different angular velocities (or different angular accelerations, which will result in different angular velocities), then you have particles moving relative to one another. Assuming an object is a rigid body means that all particles are fixed in place relative to the body. If the body is not rigid, then this allows for relative motion, and hence different angular velocities.

Of course, you could always take a non-rigid body and move it in such a way as to make all parts of it have the same angular velocity or angular acceleration. But this is a contrived case.