Translational motion is movement of an object without a change in its orientation relative to a fixed point, as opposed to rotational motion, in which the object is turning about an axis. In other words, an arrow painted on an object undergoing pure translational motion would continue pointing in the same direction; any rotation would cause the arrow to change direction. In the real world, most movement is a combination of the two. In space, for example, objects such as stars, planets and asteroids are constantly changing position relative to one another, but are also invariably rotating. An understanding of translational motion plays a key part in basic physics and in comprehending the behavior of moving objects in general, from atoms to galaxies.
In theory, pure translational motion need not involve travelling in a straight line. It is possible for an object to move in a curved path without changing its orientation; however, in most real-life situations, a change in direction would involve turning on an axis, in other words, rotation. In aeronautics, translational motion means movement along a straight line, forwards or backwards, left or right and up or down. When an airplane is circling an airport, it is continually changing its orientation and undergoing some degree of rotation.
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