The angular acceleration,`alpha`, describes the rate of change of angular velocity at an instant of time.  This equation computes the magnitude of the angular acceleration of a rigid body when the applied moment is about a fixed axis is constant.

The inputs to this equation are:

• `M_q` - moment of inertia about a fixed axis q
• `I_q` -  mass moment of inertia about a fixed axis q

author: Michael Bartmess

Notes

The moment of inertia, I, is the property of a rigid mass that defines the torque required to cause angular acceleration of the body about a fixed axis of rotation.

The moment of inertia, I, varies with the shape of the mass and also varies with the axes of rotation. Increase in moment of inertia around an axis corresponds to increased torque required to change the rotation rate of the mass.

The moment of inertia is directly dependent on the distribution of mass and can be integrated from the sum of moments of inertia of component masses making up the whole mass.