Question

What is linear and angular acceleration?

Answer 1

Linear acceleration is the translational acceleration felt by an object. When linear acceleration is applied to a body, the entire body is affected by the acceleration (or the force) at the same time.Rate of change in velocity per unit of time while on a straight course. This is linear acceleration.

Angular accleration is the rotational acceleration felt by an object about an axis. When angular acceleration is applied to a body, parts of the body experience acceleration different from acceleration in other parts of the body. However, the entire body feels the same torque applied to it about the axis at the same time.The rate of change of angular velocity is called the angular acceleration. It is denoted as α.

If an object is rotating at angular velocity ω and angular acceleration α, then a point at distance r from the axis of rotation will have speed v=rω, tangential acceleration at=rα and centripetal acceleration ac=rω^2. The linear acceleration of that point is the vector sum of these two perpendicular components of the acceleration.