Radian

Also called rad

The radian is the unit of angle defined as arc length divided by radius. Because it is a ratio of two lengths it carries no dimensions, and one full revolution contains 2 pi radians, roughly 6.283.

Mark off an arc whose length equals the radius, and the angle it subtends at the center is one radian.

θ=sr\theta = \frac{s}{r}

Length over length, so the radian is dimensionless. It is written rad, and it cancels freely: meters per second comes out of rωr\omega with rr in meters and ω\omega in rad/s, with no leftover unit to explain.

Conversions worth having cold:

  • One full revolution is 2π2\pi rad, so π\pi rad is 180 degrees.
  • One radian is about 57.3 degrees.
  • Degrees to radians: multiply by π/180\pi/180.

Every rotational equation on the AP sheets assumes radians. The arc relation s=rΔθs = r\,\Delta\theta, the linear links v=rωv = r\omega and aT=rαa_T = r\alpha, and the three constant-acceleration rotational equations are all derived with the angle in radians. Feed them degrees and the answer is wrong by a factor of 180/π180/\pi, with no unit mismatch to warn you, because the radian is dimensionless. EK 5.1.A.1 specifies radians for angular displacement for exactly this reason.

Degrees do still appear: the sinθ\sin\theta in a torque, the angle of an incline, the direction of a vector. Those are angles between two directions rather than amounts of rotation, and either unit works there as long as your calculator mode matches.

See angular displacement and the AP Physics 1 equation sheet.

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