The tangential acceleration is the product of the angular acceleration and the radius of the circle. That is, the tangential acceleration at the instant (t0) This verb, for its part, supposes the increase in speed. That is why it is important to differentiate between velocity (which shows the change in position of a body with respect to time) and acceleration (which indicates how the velocity changes). On the other hand, acceleration is a vector quantity that allows expressing the increase in speed in a unit of time. The International System establishes that this unit is the meter per second every second (m / s²).
Differences between accelerations
Tangential acceleration differs from normal acceleration, which is another perpendicular component into which the acceleration vector can be decomposed. Normal acceleration is that which reflects the change in the direction of velocity with time. Returning to the example of the car, normal acceleration appears when the driver decides to turn the wheel and steer the vehicle. This leads us to recognize that an acceleration can have different directions, and that these can in turn point in the same direction as the speed (when the car is moving) or in the opposite direction (when the car is braking).
The term tangent indicates that the direction of the acceleration is the same as that of the tangential velocity, although its sense may be opposite. Normal acceleration, on the other hand, has the same direction as the radius of the circumference, which is why it is perpendicular to the traced path.
To define and analyze the concept of tangential acceleration, it is first necessary to clarify that it is a term related to circular motion; it describes a circular path around an axis about which it rotates while maintaining a constant radius. When the speed of this movement is also maintained over time, what is known as uniform circular movement (known as MCU) takes place; This situation is considered a special case, since there is no variation in any of its components, and it is more typical of theory than of practice.
When a circular movement is carried out, the moving body has an angular velocity, since it constantly rotates with a certain inclination. The elements that make up its definition are the angle of rotation for each unit of time and the letter of the Greek alphabet used to designate it is ω (omega); according to the International System, this is expressed as radians per second, or rad / s. It should be mentioned that although it is indicated to describe the rotational movement of rigid solid bodies, it can also be used for particles, especially if they move in a closed path, such as a circle or an ellipse.
On the other hand, the tangential velocity is that which the body presents at a given moment in time, taking into account its direction and direction, as well as the radius through which it is traveling in a particular fraction of its trajectory. To measure it, the unit of space is taken into account by that of time, such as meters per second or kilometers per hour. Although to calculate it, it is possible to take the angular velocity as a reference, it is necessary to understand that it can be constant, while the tangential one can vary at each step, given the changes in the route.
As for the tangential acceleration, it is the magnitude that links the variation of speed with time. For example, in the case of a car, tangential acceleration depends on how the driver steps on the accelerator. Thus, the tangential acceleration is the one that increases or decreases the speed with which the vehicle is moving.
