What is tangential velocity?

Tangential velocity is the linear speed of a point moving along the circular path of a rotating object. It is always directed tangent to the circle (perpendicular to the radius) and equals the radius multiplied by the angular velocity: v = r × ω.

How do I convert RPM to rad/s?

Multiply RPM by 2π and divide by 60: ω (rad/s) = RPM × 2π / 60. For example, 1500 RPM = 1500 × 2π / 60 ≈ 157.08 rad/s.

Does tangential velocity change with radius?

Yes. For the same angular velocity, a point farther from the axis has a higher tangential velocity. A point at twice the radius moves twice as fast linearly, even though both points complete each revolution in the same time.

What is the difference between tangential velocity and angular velocity?

Angular velocity (ω) measures how fast the angle changes (radians per second) and is the same for every point on a rigid body. Tangential velocity (v) is the actual linear speed and depends on how far the point is from the rotation axis.

What units can I use for the radius?

Use the radius unit selector to enter meters, centimeters, millimeters, feet, or inches. The tool converts the input internally and reports velocity in m/s, km/h, ft/s, and mph.

Tangential Velocity Calculator

Calculate the tangential (linear) speed of any point on a rotating object from its radius and angular velocity or RPM.

Inputs

Radius (r)

Angular Input Mode

Angular Velocity (ω, rad/s)

v = r × ω | ω = 2π × RPM / 60

Tangential Velocity

Enter values and click Calculate

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Summary

Tangential velocity (also called peripheral or linear velocity) is the instantaneous speed of a point on a rotating object measured along the direction of motion — tangent to its circular path. It is calculated with the formula v = r × ω, where r is the radius from the rotation axis and ω is the angular velocity in radians per second. This calculator accepts either angular velocity in rad/s or rotational speed in RPM and returns the result in m/s, km/h, ft/s, and mph.

How it works

Enter the radius of the rotating object (distance from the axis to the point of interest).
Choose your input mode: angular velocity in rad/s, or rotational speed in RPM.
Enter the angular velocity or RPM value.
Click Calculate — the tool applies v = r × ω (converting RPM to rad/s when needed).
Results appear instantly in m/s, km/h, ft/s, and mph.
Adjust any value and recalculate to explore different scenarios.

Use cases

Finding the rim speed of a car tire from its radius and RPM.
Calculating the tip speed of a wind turbine blade.
Determining the cutting speed of a circular saw blade.
Checking the peripheral speed of a lathe or milling cutter.
Computing the linear speed of a conveyor roller given its rotation rate.
Physics homework and exam problems on rotational motion.
Engineering design validation for rotating machinery.
Comparing the speed of points at different radii on the same rotating disk.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-06-13 · Reviewed by Nham Vu