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Analysis of a Coriolis Acceleration, Journal of Advanced Science and

Engineering Research, Vol. 4, No 1, March (2014) 1-8.

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 Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering Research Vol 4, No 1 March (2014) 1-8

Article Info
Analysis of a Coriolis Acceleration Ibrahim
Received: 2/2/2013
Accepted:5/12/ 2013
R. Usubamatov, K. A. Ismail, J. M. Sah Published online: 1/3/2014

School of Manufacturing Engineering, Pauh Putra, University

Malaysia Perlis,

[email protected]

ISSN 2231-8844

ABSTRACT
The velocity of a moving point in a general path is its vector quantity, which has both
magnitude and direction. The velocity vector can change over time because of acceleration,
which can be tangential, radial and Coriolis types. Acceleration analysis is important because
inertial forces are proportional to their rectilinear, angular and Coriolis accelerations. The
loads must be determined in advance to ensure that a machine is designed to handle these
dynamic loads. For planar motion, the vector direction of acceleration is separated into the
tangential, radial and Coriolis components of a point on a rotating body. The Coriolis
acceleration is the product of linear and rotational velocities. All textbooks in physics,
kinematics and machine dynamics consider the magnitude of a Coriolis acceleration at a
common condition when an object moves and rotates at variable velocities. The magnitude of
the Coriolis acceleration is considered on a basis of that common condition. However, the
magnitudes of Coriolis acceleration vary according to the conditions of motions of an object.
This paper presents new analytical expressions of the Coriolis acceleration under the
conditions of uniform, accelerated and combined motions of an object and a rotating element
and thereby fills a gap in the study of acceleration analysis.

Keywords: Coriolis acceleration, force, kinematics and dynamics of mechanisms.

1. Introduction
Machines and mechanisms running at a high speed are considered by a kinematic analysis of
their velocities and accelerations, and subsequently analyzed as dynamic systems in which
forces due to accelerations are analyzed using the principles of kinetics. Force and stress
analysis is based on the acceleration analysis of links and points of interest in the mechanism
or machine.
In classical mechanics there are many ways to derive equations of accelerations. The
Coriolis acceleration is the product of the linear motion of an object on the rotating table
 Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering Research Vol 4, No 1 March (2014) 1-8

(Gregory, (2006); Hibbeler, (2005); Myszka, (2005); Norton, (2002); Syngley and Uicker,
year; Soutas-Little et al., (2008); Taylor, (2005); Wilson and Sadler, (2003); Waldron and
Kinzel 2004) . Textbooks in classical mechanics calculate the Coriolis acceleration and a
force for common case as follows:

ac = 2Vω
Fc = 2mVω (1)

where ac is the Coriolis acceleration, ω is the angular velocity of the disc, and V is the linear
velocity of the object travelling on the table, m is the mass of the object, and Fc is the Coriolis
force.
Equation 1 is a classical formula. The components of the angular velocity ω and the
linear velocity V are applied for both uniform and accelerated motions of machine elements.
However, this approach is not logically correct, because any differences in motions of
elements of mechanisms should be reflected in the equations that describe these motions.
Following analysis of examples of the Coriolis accelerations show shows that for different
cases of motions the magnitude of this acceleration is different. For example, mechanisms,
which have Coriolis effects, can have the linear and rotating motions that are uniform and/or
accelerated.
Some textbooks derive Coriolis acceleration and its force on a base of the uniform
velocities. An object of the mass m travels from the centre O towards B on the edge of a
rotating disk as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. Sketch for calculation of the Coriolis acceleration

The linear velocity V of the object m and angular velocity ω of the disc is uniform. The
travelling from point O to B takes time Δt, so the distance OB = V*Δt . The distance OB is
calculated by calculated by the physics equations of the uniform motion, OB = V*Δt. The

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 Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering Research Vol 4, No 1 March (2014) 1-8

rotation of the table results, the point B will have moved from its original position to a new
position C after a time Δt. In angle γ = ωΔt , ω is the uniform angular velocity. However, the
distance BC is calculated by the physics equations of the accelerated motion, BC = αt2/2.
Finally, the Coriolis acceleration for this type of approach is depicted in Eq. (1).
However, the following analysis of the accepted motions of the object m on a rotating
disc shows the following circumstances (Fig. 1):
a) The motion of the object m and the rotation of the disc are independent and no forces
are acting between the object m and the disc.
b) The linear motion of the object m and the rotary motion of the disc are uniform,
hence the relative trajectory of a motion OC of the object m on the rotating disc is the
Archimedes curve. The principle of the Archimedes curve states that any point of the
curve gives uniform velocities of components and without acceleration.
c) The distance BC is a result of uniform motions and calculated by the equation BC =
ω*(OB)* Δt = VtB*Δt, where VtB is the constant tangential velocity of the point B.
d) The distance BC is the length between the point B of disc and the point C of the
Archimedes curve as calculated by Eq. (2), which expresses the rotation of the disc
with acceleration that contradict to the accepted initial conditions.
e) These circumstances show that Eq. (2), which describes the motion with acceleration
cannot be used for analysis and for the following derivation of the Coriolis
acceleration.

Analysis of the physics of two motions and the Coriolis acceleration and its force for
represented example is not so strong mathematically. Free linear motion with uniform
velocity of the object m on the rotating disc of uniform angular velocity does not create
accelerations and therefore force. The Coriolis acceleration and its force act when the object
m travels on the guide way of the rotating disc. The linear velocity of the object and angular
velocity of the rotating disc can be uniform and/or accelerated.
The object, which moves on the rotating table, can test different magnitudes of
Coriolis acceleration and a force. This study examines three types of motions:
a) uniform motions of the object and the table
b) uniform motion of the object and the accelerated rotation of the table
c) accelerated motion of the object and the uniform rotation of the table

2. Analytical approach
2.1. Coriolis effect for uniform motions of the object and the rotating table.
The object m travels on the rotating disc and its trajectory represented by the line OA
(Fig. 1). Rotation of the disc on the angle γ changes the vector velocity direction V of the
object m on the vector velocity direction VA. This change in the direction of the vector
velocity is represented by the vector Vγ, whose expression is represented by the following
equation:

Vγ = -Vsinγ (2)

where γ is an angle of rotation of a disc, other components are as specified above.

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The magnitude of the vector velocity Vγ depends on the change in the object’s radius location
on the disc. The change of magnitude of the velocity Vγ is represented by the following
equation [10]:

Δ Vγ= -[V sin(γ + Δγ) – Vsinγ] = -V [sin(γ + Δγ) – sinγ] (3)

Trigonometric expression in square brackets is represented by the identity

      [10]. After substituting this identity into Eq. (3), and
sin   sin   2 cos sin
2 2
multiplying by    / 2  the change of the tangential velocity Vγ has the following equation:
  / 2 
 

              / 2 
V  V * 2 cos  sin   
 2   2   / 2 

      / 2 
V  V * 2 cos    sin    (4)
 2   2   / 2 

 
Analysis of Eq. (6) shows, when Δγ →0, then lim cos     cos ,
 0  2 
sin( / 2)
lim  1.0 . Substituting the defined expression into Eq. (6) and then
 0  / 2
transforming

V  V * 2 cos * ( / 2)  V cos *  (5)

Analysis assumes the angle γ is a small value, hence, it is accepted that cosγ = 1.
Hence, the differential equation of the change of the velocity will have the following
equation:

dV  Vd (6)

The rate change of the velocity per time represents an acceleration of the object, which
expression has the following equation:

dV d
 V (7)
dt dt

where dV / dt  ac is the acceleration of the object, d / dt   is the angular velocity of

the rotating disc.

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Substituting defined components into Eq. (7) and transforming the acceleration of the
object results in the following expression:

ac  V (8)

Eq. (8) is expression of the Coriolis acceleration for uniform motions of the object and the
table. Hence, the Coriolis force will have the next equation

Fc = mVω (9)

The direction of the Coriolis force vector is opposite to the direction of the vector of
acceleration.
Eq. (8) can be derived by another mathematical approach. The distances AB and OB can
be calculated by the equations of AB = Vγt, and OB = Vt. The angle γ of triangle AOB is
small, then AB = OBsinγ , and accepted sinγ = γ . After substituting defined magnitudes of
the triangle sides, the new equation has the following expression: V t  Vt
 .
After transformation of this expression, the rate change of the velocity per time
represents an acceleration of the object, which expression is the same as Eq. (11) and Coriolis
acceleration expressed by Eq. (8).

2.2. Coriolis effect for the uniform motion of the object and the accelerated rotation
of the table
Rotation of the disc is variable and an angular acceleration changes the magnitude of
the vector velocity Vγ = aγt of the object m (Fig. 1). The distance AB can be calculated by the
equation of a variable motion AB = act2/2, and distance OB by the equation of a uniform
motion OB = Vt. The angle γ of triangle AOB is small, then AB = OBsinγ, and accepted sinγ
= γ . After substituting defined magnitudes of the triangle sides

act 2
 Vt (10)
2

where γ = ɛt2/2 is an angle of rotation of a disc with acceleration ɛ, other components

are as specified above.

After substitution and the following transformationgive equation of the Coriolis

acceleration and its force for the uniform motion of the object and the accelerated rotation of
the table

ac = -Vtɛ (11)
Fc = mVtɛ

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2.3. Coriolis effect for the accelerated motion of the object and the uniform rotation
of the table
Rotation of the disc is uniform and a vector of the object is variable. The equation of the
vector velocity Vγ = aγt of the object m (Fig. 1). The distance AB can be calculated by the
equation of a variable motion AB = act2/2, and distance OB by the equation of an accelerated
motion OB = at2/2. If angle γ of triangle AOB is small, then AB = OBsinγ, and accepted sinγ
= γ . After substituting defined magnitudes of the triangle sides,

act 2 at 2
  (12)
2 2

where γ = ωt is a variable angle of uniform rotation of a disc, other component are as

specified above, a is an acceleration of the object; other components are specified above.

The following transformation gives equation of the Coriolis acceleration and its force for
the uniform motion of the object and the accelerated rotation of the table

ac = -aωt (13)
Fc = maωt

2.4. Coriolis effect for the accelerated motions of the object and rotating table

Rotation of the disc is accelerated and a vector of the object is variable. The magnitude
of the vector velocity Vγ = aγt of the object m (Fig. 1). The distance AB can be calculated by
the equation of a variable motion AB = act2/2, and distance OB by the equation of an
accelerated motion OB = at2/2. The angle γ of triangle AOB is small, then AB = OBsinγ, and
accepted sinγ = γ. After substituting defined magnitudes of the triangle sides

act 2 at 2
  (14)
2 2

where γ = ɛt2/2 is the angle of rotation of the table with acceleration, other components
are as stated.

After substituting and the following transformation give the equation of the Coriolis
acceleration and its force for the uniform motion of the object and the accelerated rotation of
the table

ac = -aɛt2/2 (15)
Fc = maɛt2/2

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 Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering Research Vol 4, No 1 March (2014) 1-8

Table 1: Coriolis Acceleration for Uniform and Accelerated Motions of the Object
and the Rotating Table
Motion Uniform Uniform Accelerated Accelerated Uniform Accelerated
Object Table Object Table Object Table Object Table
Coriolis ac  V ac = -Vtɛ ac = -aωt ac = -aɛt2/2
acceler-n
V, a Linear velocity and linear acceleration of the object accordingly
ω, ɛ Angular velocity and angular acceleration of the rotating table accordingly
T time

3. Result and discussion

Relevant equations produced for Coriolis accelerations of a moving object on a rotating table
enable calculation of more accurate results. New equations consider uniform and accelerated
linear and the angular velocities of a mechanism. These equations are different from the
fundamental equation of Coriolis acceleration depicted in textbooks of physics, kinematics
and machine dynamics. In engineering, all machines work with variable velocities of
elements that is real condition of functioning of any mechanism. It is very important to
calculate an exact result of acting forces for machine components with acceleration. The new
equations of Coriolis accelerations give a more accurate result than do those presented in the
textbooks Gregory, (2006); Hibbeler, (2005); Myszka, (2005); Norton, (2002); Syngley and
Uicker, year; Soutas-Little et al., (2008); Taylor, (2005). Example of the results of
calculation of the Coriolis accelerations represented in the Table 1.
The rotating table shown in Fig.1 has the angular velocity of 2.0 rad/s, accelerates at the rate
of 3.0 rad/s2. The object with of 0.1 kg moves with linear velocity 0.5 m/s, accelerates at the
rate of 1.0 m/s2. Determine the magnitudes of the Coriolis accelerations of four types of
motions after 3.0 s of motions (Table 1).
The results of calculations by the new Equations (8), (11), (13) and (15) obtained for
Coriolis acceleration of an object, which moves on the rotating table and calculated by
Equation (1) of textbooks are different as shown in Table 2. These are differences in
approach of analysis of Coriolis. The new analysis of Coriolis acceleration considers different
conditions of the work of mechanism.

Table 2: Results of the Coriolis Acceleration

Motion Uniform Uniform Accelerated Accelerated Uniform Accelerated
Object Table Object Table Object Table Object Table

ac  V  ac = -Vtɛ= ac = -aωt= ac = -aɛt2/2=

 0.5m / s * 2rad / s  -0.5m/s*3s*3rad/s2 = 1.0m/s2*2.0rad/s*3.0s= 1.0m/s2*3rad/s2
Acceleration

= -1.0 m/s2 -4.5 m/s2 -6 m/s2 *(3s)2/2=

Coriolis

-13.5 m/s2

Equation of textbooks
ac = -2Vω = -2*0.5m/s*2.0rad/s = -2.0 m/s2

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 Journal of Advanced Science and Engineering Research Vol 4, No 1 March (2014) 1-8

4. Conclusion
Fundamental analytical solutions of analysis of Coriolis acceleration that are presented in
textbooks cannot give accurate equations for variable conditions of the machine work. The
main contribution of this paper is the derivation of new equations of Coriolis acceleration for
different conditions of the mechanism work. The paper presents an original analysis of
Coriolis acceleration and new analytical equations of the accelerations giving accurate
calculations.
The new analysis of Coriolis acceleration should be used in textbooks of physics,
kinematics and machine dynamics. The new analytical approach gives accurate mathematical
method for analysis of Coriolis acceleration and correct results in calculation. These new
equations of Coriolis accelerations can be used by engineers and manufacturers for
production of machines that will have better technical and economic characteristics.

References
Gregory R. D., (2006). Classical Mechanics, Cambridge University Press, New-ork.
Hibbeler R. C., (2005). Engineering Mechanics. Dynamics. 7 th ed. Pearson Prentice Hall,
New Jersey.
Myszka D.H., (2005). Machines and Mechanisms. Applied Kinematic Analysis Pearson
Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
Norton R.L., (2002). Design of Machinery, 3rd. ed. McGraw Hill, New-York, 2004.
Soutas-Little R. W., Inman D. J., and Balint D. S., (2008). Engineering Mechanics Dynamics
Computational Edition, Cengage Learning, Toronto, ON
Syngley J., and Uicker J. J., (2003), Theory of Machines and Mechanisms, third ed. McGraw-
Hill Book Company, New-York.
Taylor J. R., (2005). Classical Mechanics. University Science Books, Sausalito California.
Waldron K.J. and Kinzel G.L., (2004). Kinematics, Dynamics and Design of Machinery, 2nd
ed. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey
Wilson C. F., Sadler. J. P., (2003). Kinematics and Dynamics of Machinery, third ed. Pearson
Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

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