eli5 how a complete rotation of wheel measures the length of circumstance with the same rotation the inner portion having less circumstance also covers the same distance.

Question

Sorry circumference.

In: 0

Answer 1

Only the outermost surface determines the distance travelled. The math is very simple. Diameter of the wheel x Pi = circumference and thus distance travelled for one revolution. All the portions of the wheel are making exactly one revolution too, but they are not covering the same distance. Think about you standing on the north pole for 24 hours. You’d cover no distance, your body would just spin. But if you were on the equator you’d cover 25000 miles in the same time.