Question

Plotting rotational variables

Continuing on with using the human body as a physics apparatus, it’s time to try an experiment with your leg!  First, find a comfortable place where you can sit and swing your legs freely.  This could be an office chair which you raise to the point where your feet do not touch the ground, a table top (which can support your weight!), picnic table, or any other location where you sit and swing your legs freely from your knees.

Your task is to create a sketch of your foot’s motion as you GENTLY swing your foot from directly under you, to a fully extended position.  Try rocking your foot back and forth a few times and imagine how the foot’s angular displacement, velocity, and acceleration are changing over time.  Imagine that the angular displacement is zero when your foot is resting directly underneath you.

8.  In the space below, make a sketch of angular displacement, , as a function of time as you slowly and steadily bring your foot from beneath you, to the extended position. Appendix A has a nice review of how to sketch a plot of “something” vs. “another thing”.  You may find the drawing functionin Google docs useful in creating the plot. Or you can sketch it out on paper and attach a photograph of the sketch, your preference.

.  In the space below, make a sketch of angular velocity vs. time of your foot as you slowly and steadily bring your foot from directly underneath to straight out from the knee.

10.   In the space below, make a sketch of angular acceleration vs. time of your foot as you slowly and steadily bring your foot from directly beneath you, to straight out.

Answer 1

Plotting rotational variables