Angular frequency (Physics & Chemistry)

An angle of 1 radian results in an arc with a length equal to the radius of the circle. Source: Wikipedia.

Angular frequency

Published: March 8, 2010, 12:00 am

Updated: October 8, 2011, 2:28 pm

Source: Wikipedia

Topics:

Physics & Chemistry (main)

Angular frequency is the repetition rate of a cyclic process measured in radians/sec.

Animation showing the relationship between angular frequency (radians per second) and frequency (cycles per second). Angular frequency is larger by a factor of 2π. Source: Wikipedia

A complete revolution is 2π radians (shown here with a circle of radius one and circumference 2π). Source: John Reid, Ufo karadagli, Wikipedia

A radian is the ratio between the length of an arc and its radius. A complete revolution is 2π radians (i.e. the arc of a full circle is its circumeference; 2π times the radius) .

Thus, an object rotating one full cycle per second has an angular frequency of 2π radians/sec. Or, more generally, if the frequency in cycles/sec is f (v in the animation right), then the angular frequency ω = 2πf.

Citation

Baum, S. (2011). Angular frequency. Retrieved from http://editors.eol.org/eoearth/wiki/Angular_frequency_(Physics_&_Chemistry)