Convert between rad/s², deg/s², rev/s² and rev/min².
Angular acceleration describes how quickly an object's rotational speed changes. The SI unit is radian per second squared (rad/s²). It is widely used in robotics, automotive engineering, and physics.
| Unit | In rad/s² |
|---|---|
| 1 deg/s² | 0.017453 rad/s² |
| 1 rev/s² | 6.28318 rad/s² |
| 1 rev/min² | 0.001745 rad/s² |
Acceleration Converter • Angular Velocity Converter • Speed Converter
Angular acceleration measures how quickly a rotating object changes its rotational speed. Units are radians per second squared (rad/s²) or degrees per second squared (°/s²). When you start a ceiling fan, the blades go from 0 RPM to full speed — that change in rotational velocity over time is angular acceleration. In engineering, it matters for electric motors, flywheels, robotic joints, and gyroscopes.
The relationship between angular acceleration (α) and linear acceleration (a) at radius r is: a = α × r. A point on the rim of a large wheel experiences greater linear acceleration than one near the centre, even with the same angular acceleration.
| Unit | rad/s² | Use case |
|---|---|---|
| 1 rad/s² | 1.000 | SI standard |
| 1 °/s² | 0.01745 | Robotics |
| 1 rev/s² | 6.2832 | Motor specs |
| 1 rev/min² | 0.001745 | Industrial machinery |
Angular acceleration is critical in motor design — a motor that needs to spin up quickly must deliver high angular acceleration. Electric motors typically reach full speed in milliseconds; large industrial motors may take seconds. In robotics, joint angular acceleration determines how fast a robot arm can move between positions. In vehicle dynamics, wheel spin-up during a drag race is controlled by traction control systems limiting angular acceleration to prevent wheel slip. Gyroscopes in smartphones and aircraft instruments measure angular acceleration to determine orientation changes.
