# Angular Acceleration

Written by Jerry Ratzlaff on . Posted in Classical Mechanics

## Angular Acceleration

Angular acceleration ( $$\alpha$$ (Greek symbol alpha) ) (also called rotational acceleration) of an object is the rate at which the angle velocity changes with respect to time.

### Angular Acceleration Formula

$$\large{ \alpha = \frac { d \omega } { d t } }$$

$$\large{ \alpha = \frac { \omega_f - \omega_i } { t_f - t_i } }$$

$$\large{ \alpha = \frac { d^2 \theta } { d t^2 } }$$

$$\large{ \alpha = \frac { a_t } { r } }$$

$$\large{ \alpha = \frac { \tau } { I } }$$

Where:

$$\large{ \alpha }$$ (Greek symbol alpha) = angular acceleration

$$\large{ a_t }$$ = lineat tangential path

$$\large{ \theta }$$  (Greek symbol theta) = angular rotation

$$\large{ r }$$ = radius of circular path

$$\large{ t }$$ = time taken

$$\large{ t_f }$$ = final time taken

$$\large{ t_i }$$ = initial time taken

$$\large{ \tau }$$  (Greek symbol tau) = torque

$$\large{ I }$$ = mass moment of inertia or angular mass

$$\large{ \omega }$$  (Greek symbol omega) = angular velocity

$$\large{ \omega _f }$$  (Greek symbol omega) = final angular velocity

$$\large{ \omega _i }$$  (Greek symbol omega) = initial angular velocity