ANGULAR

, something relating to, or that hath angles.

At a distance, angular bodies appear round; the angles and small inequalities disappearing at a much less distance than the bulk of the body.

ANGULAR Motion, is the motion of a body which moves circularly about a point; or the variation in the angle described by a line, or radius, connecting a body with the centre about which it moves.—Thus, a pendulum has an angular motion about its centre of motion; and the planets have an angular motion about the sun.—Two moveable points M and O, of which the one describes the arc MN, and the other the arc OP, in the same time, have an equal, or the same angularmotion, although the real motion of the point O be much greater than that of the point M, viz, as the arc OP is greater than the arc MN. The angular motions of revolving bodies, as of the planets about the sun, are reciproeally proportional to their periodic times. And they are also, as their real or absolute motions directly, and as their radii of motion inverfely.

Angular motion is also a kind of compound motion composed of a circular and a rectilinear motion; like the wheel of a coach, or other vehicle.

ANIMATED needle, a needle touched with a magnet or load-stone.