What does the letter r stand for in the equation v = rw?

In the equation v = rw, the letter r represents the radius of rotation. This relationship describes how linear velocity (v) is connected to angular velocity (w) through the distance from the axis of rotation. Essentially, it indicates that the linear speed of a point on a rotating object is proportional to both its distance from the axis of rotation (the radius) and the angular speed at which the object is turning.

The radius of rotation is crucial in biomechanics, especially in understanding how different segments of a body or an object move relative to a central point or axis. For example, a limb moving around a joint has varying linear velocities at different points depending on their distance from the joint, which acts as the axis of rotation.

Thus, understanding this relationship is fundamental in biomechanics as it explains how forces and motions are distributed throughout moving systems.