Physics › Section G · Statics, torque, and rotation › Topic G.6
Rotational kinetic energy
A spinning wheel can hold a great deal of energy even when it is going nowhere. Rotational kinetic energy measures that energy, and it explains why a rolling ball reaches the bottom of a slope more slowly than a block sliding without friction.
In this topic
- Energy without going anywhere
- Where one half I omega squared comes from
- Work done by a torque
- Worked example: a potter's wheel
- Flywheels as energy stores
- Rolling without slipping
- Energy shared between moving and spinning
- Worked example: a bowling ball on a ramp
- The rolling race
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Key takeaways
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