SAT Physics Subject Test

Chapter 6 Curved and Rotational Motion

ROTATION AND TRANSLATION

All motion is some combination of translation and rotation, which are illustrated in the figures below. Consider any two points in the object under study, connected by a straight line. If this line always remains parallel to itself while the object moves, then the object is translating only. However, if this line does not always remain parallel to itself while the object moves, then the object is rotating.