1

6 : CIRCULAR MOTION






Objectives :

- Describe uniform circular motion in terms of velocity with
constant magnitude ( only the direction of velocity changes )
- Define centripetal acceleration and tangential acceleration.
Use formula for centripetal acceleration, a
c
= v
2
/r
- Define centripetal force and use its formula, F = mv
2
/r
- Identify forces such as tension, friction, gravity and reaction
that enable body to perform circular motion on a horizontal
and vertical plane.
- Use the relationship of the forces in (4) and centripetal force.














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6.0 : Introduction

Circular motion/ rotational motion :
When bodies rotate around something or move in a circular
path its motion is considered to be in circular motion .

Examples : CD players, hands on a clock, earth going around
the sun ,wheels on cars, merry go round......


Circular motion




Uniform Non uniform





6.1 : Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform circular motion is the motion of an object in a circle
with a constant or uniform speed .

When an object is moving with uniform circular motion:
- it is moving at constant speed in a circle
- the magnitude of its velocity remains constant
- the directions of its velocity changes continually



3
Motion Characteristics For Circular Motion :

i) Angular Displacement (u) : the angle rotated by the radius
from some reference point.

- When discussing the motion of objects which are moving in
circular path, the displacement is described in angle
measured in radians or degrees.


- When an object move from point A to point B in a circular
path of radius r, the angle u is defined as the ratio of the arc
length s to the radius.

=>
r
s
=

where s = linear distance moved
r = radius of the circle
- If s = r the angle is 1 rad and if s is equal to the full
circumference of the circle, the angle is 2t rad.
( 360 = 2t rad. )
- The relation between the ( linear) distance moved, s, of the
body and the angular displacement,u is given by :

=> s = ru
s
4
ii) Linear & Angular Velocity:

- An object moving in uniform circular motion would
cover the same linear distance (s) in each second of time,
therefore; the linear speed , v, of the body is given by :

v = s / t

- The angular velocity of a body is the number of radians
turned through per second and defined as :

=>
t

=

Units : rad s
-1


- The angular velocity is linked to the linear speed as:
From s = ru and v = s/t
Hence v = ru/t
Since v = r( u/t)
=> v = re

-The direction of the linear velocity is directed along the tangent
to the circular path, while the direction of the angular velocity is
depending on the rotation of the object( clockwise or anti
clockwise )

v v







e
5

iii) Period and frequency of rotation:

- The period of rotation ( T ) is, the time taken to complete a
circle and is equal to:
=>
v
r 2
T
t
=

or
r
r 2
T =

2
T =


- Frequency ( f ) of rotation is the number of rotations
completes in a second, and is equal to :

T
1
f = or
2

f =

- Units : Hertz (Hz)- defined as one rotation per second













6

Examples :

1. An object travels around the circumference of a circle of
radius 6 m at a rate of 30 rev min-1 . Find :
a) its angular speed in rads-1
b) its linear speed around the circle

Solution :
One revolution = 2t rad
Angular speed : 2t x 30 = 60 t rad/ min
= 60 t rad
60 s
= t rad s-1



b) Using v = re
= 6 x t
= 6 t ms-1 or 18.85 ms-1.














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2. A particle is moving on a circular path of radius 0.5m at a
constant speed of 10 ms
-1
. Find the time taken to complete 20
revolutions.

Solution:
Using v = re
10 = 0.5 e
e = 20 rad s-1

Since 20 revolutions = 20 x 2t
= 40 t rad

using u = et
40 t rad = 20 t

t = 2t = 6.28s


















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6.2 : Centripetal Acceleration & Tangential
Acceleration

Centripetal acceleration:
- Object moving in uniform circular motion will have a
constant speed but the direction of velocity vector keep
changing ; therefore, the velocity is not constant . Its
direction at any instant is the direction of tangent line drawn
to the circle at the objects location. Therefore, the object
does accelerate as it goes in circular path.

- The direction of the instantaneous acceleration at each point
is always along a radius of the circle, towards its center (
towards the inside of the circle ) and perpendicular to the
instantaneous velocity.





- The acceleration is directed towards the center of the
circle.Thus the acceleration of this type is called as
centripetal acceleration ( center pointing )

- The equation which describes the magnitude of the
centripetal acceleration is :
a
c

a
c

9


r
a
v
2
c = where a
c
= centripetal acceleration
v = speed of the object
r = radius of the path.

- It also can be expressed in terms of the angular speed e by
using v = re :
a
c
= (re )
2
/r

a
c
= re
2


- If the speed ( v ) is replaced with 2tr/T :


T

2
2
r 4
a =


















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Examples :

1. A car traveling at 20 m/s makes a turn of radius 75 meters.
What is the centripetal acceleration of the car ?


Solution :

Using a
c
= v
2
/r
= (20)
2
/ 75
= 5.33 ms
-1




2. A car is moving around a circular track of radius 1000 m
with a constant speed. The car makes a complete revolution
of the track every 20 min. Find its speed and acceleration.

Solution :
Speed is constant, v = s/t
= 2 t r / T
= ( 2 x t x 10
3
) / (1.2 x 10
3
s )
= 5.23 m/s


Acceleration is centripetal acceleration:
a
c
= v
2
/ r
= ( 5.23 )
2
/ 10
3

= 2.74 x 10
-2
m / s
2







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Tangential Acceleration :

- When an object changes speed as it moves around the circle
it has one more acceleration => tangential acceleration.
- For this case of the tangential speed is changing, the motion
is called non uniform circular motion .
- In non uniform circular motion both the direction and
magnitude of the tangential velocity are changing, therefore;
it has two components of acceleration :-
i) centripetal acceleration a
c
= v
2
/r or e
2
r ---toward the
center.
ii) tangential acceleration a
t
= or where o is an angular
acceleration . --- in the direction of motion.
* a
c
and a
t
are perpendicular to each other.








The total acceleration is given by the vector sum of
centripetal and tangential components :

a = a
c
+ a
t


at = d|v| / dt , a
c
= v
2
/r






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Examples:

1. A car is driven around a circular track of radius 1000 m with
a speed that varies with time according to the rule
v = ( -0.30 t
2
+ 2.0 t + 10 ) m/s
What are its speed and tangential acceleration at t = 0 s and
t = 5 s ?


Solution :

a
t
= dv/dt = d (-0.30 t
2
+ 2.0 t + 10 ) / dt
= ( -0.60 t + 2.0 ) m/s
2


at t = 0;
v(0) = ( -0.30 (0)2 + (2.0 x 0 ) + 10 )
= 10. 0 m/s

a
t
(0) = ( - 0.60 x 0
2
) + 2.0
= 2.0 m/s
2

at t = 5 s ;
v (5) = ( -0.30 (5)
2
+ (2.0 x 5 ) + 10 )
= 12. 5 m/s

a
t
(5) = ( - 0.60 x 5
2
) + 2.0
= - 1.00 m/s
2









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6.3 : Circular Motion Centripetal Force.

- According to Newtons First Law an object will travel in a
straight line at constant speed unless acted upon by an outside
force. Clearly an object moving in circular path must have an
outside force acting on it to produce the non linear motion.And
the force is directed inwards towards the center of the
circle.This inwards acting force is called centripetal force .


- A force that is required to keep an object moving in a
circle.

- Since a force that is directed inwards towards the center of
the circle is required to keep an object traveling in a circular
path, this force must be accelerating the object.The direction
of the acceleration must be in the same direction as the force
acting on the object ( which is inward ) due to Newtons
Second Law .

- The centripetal force depends on :
i) The objects mass
ii) The objects speed





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Equation : F
c
= ma
c



r
F
mv
c
2
=

or F
c
= mre
2




Definition of centripetal force: The net force required to keep
an object of mass m, moving at a speed v, on a circular path of
radius r.


- The centripetal force also never does work on the object
since its direction always perpendicular to the object velocity.

- The centripetal force may be due to a single force or to a
combination of several forces.















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* The centripetal force maintains the objects circular
motion and can be caused by tension in a string,
friction on cars tires, the normal force gravitation
..

A: Circular motion in horizontal plane :

i) Ball at the end of the string revolving in a
horizontal circle with steady speed.






Two forces acting on the ball:
i) the force of gravity ( weight mg )
ii) the tension force on the string ( T )








Applying Newton Second Law to the radial direction :
E F
c
= ma
c

Tension on the string is the only component in the
radial direction that provide the centripetal force;

T = ma
c

= mv
2
/ r
v

T
mg
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Example:

1. A mass of 2.0 kg is attached to a string and whirled in a
horizontal circle of radius 0.80 m. The breaking strain of
the string is 250 N. What is the maximum speed at which
the mass can rotate before the string break?


Solution:
Using F
c
= ma
c


T = mv
2
/ r

250 = 2.0 x (v)
2
/ 0.80

v
2
= 100

v = 10.0 m/s




ii) Conical pendulum :











u
17

A freebody diagram of the mass on the end of the pendulum :

T cos u



T sin u



mg mg


T sin u is the unbalanced central forces. It is supplying the
centripetal force necessary to keep the block moving as a
conical pendulum.
=> T sin u = F
c
= ma
c
= mv
2
/r


Problem solving :

1) Consider a conical pendulum with a 80 kg bob on a 10 m wire
making an angle of u
o
with the vertical. Determine:
(a) the horizontal and vertical component of the force exerted
by the wire on the pendulum and
(b) the centripetal acceleration of the bob.

T
u u
18
Solution:
(a) A free-body diagram of the bob is shown.


The bob does not change its vertical position, y = constant, v
y
= a
y
= 0. The vertical component of T must have magnitude
mg.

Tcos(5
o
) = mg,
T = (80kg x 9.8m/s
2
) / cos(5
o
) = 787N
The magnitude of horizontal component of T
Tsin(5
o
) = 68.6N.
The horizontal component of the force points towards
the center of the circle.

(b) The horizontal component of T provides the centripetal
(radial) acceleration a
c
.

Tsin(5
o
) = ma
c
,
a
c
= 68.6N/80kg
= 0.857m/s
2
.
The speed of the bob is found from a
c
= v
2
/r,
Since r = 10m x sin (5
o
), we have v = 0.86m/s.






19

2. A pendulum bob of mass 1 kg is attached to a string 1 m
long and made to revolve in a horizontal circle of the
radius 60 cm. Find the period of the motion and the
tension of the string.

Solution :








1 kg

T cos u = mv
2
/r
= mv
2
/ 0.6 (i)

T sin u = mg .(ii)


Cos u = 0.6/1.0 ; hence sin u = 4/5

From (ii) T = mg/ sin u = ( 1 x 9.8 ) / ( 4/5 )
= 12.25 N

From (i) v = (o.6 x T cosu / m )
1/2

v = 2.1 m/s

angular velocity, e = v/r = 2.1 / 0.6
= 7/2 rad/s
period, T = 2t / e = 4t /7 second
1 m
R = 0.6 m
20
T = 1.8 second.
iii) Car rounding a curve
A car of mass m rounds a curve at a constant speed as
shown below. The curve has a radius of curvature of R.
(In other words, the curve is a piece of a circle of radius
R.) If the coefficient of static friction between the road
and the tires is , what is the maximum speed the car can
travel around the curve without slipping?



The free-body diagram of the car is as below :



In the vertical direction we find

In the horizontal direction
f = ma
c

But we know that, (for maximum static friction),
F =
s
N
21

.
In requirement that the car move in a circle allows us to use the
centripetal acceleration formula.

So putting it all together gives

or, that the maximum velocity without slipping on the road is


* The max velocity is reduced when the friction coefficient is
reduced and the velocity is also reduced when the radius of the
curve is reduced (making it a tighter turn).


Problem solving :

A car turns a corner on aroad of radius 50.0 m. If the
coefficient of static friction
s
= 0.90, what is the maximum
speed the car can negotiate the turn without sliding ?

N


f

mg

N mg = 0
f = ma
c
22
f =
s
N =
s
mg
= ma
c
= mv
2
/r

v = (
s
gr )
= ( .9 x 9.8 x 50 )
1/2

= 21.0 m/s



B: Circular Motion I n Vertical Planes :

i) Uniform circular motion vertically with steady speed.
- Example : riding on a Ferris Wheel at constant speed .
N



The forces acting on the riders are :
i) Normal forces ( N )
ii) Gravity ( mg )


At the top :

F(top ) = mg N = ma
c
= mv
2
/r .direction downward
N = mg mv
2
/r
N
mg
mg
23
If the speed is so large that the rider feels like leaving the
seat, that means the normal force is approaching zero.
0 = mg - mv
2
/r
mg = mv
2
/r
g = v
2
/r
v
max
= ( g/r )
1/2


* If r is known, the maximum speed can be determined.

At the bottom of the trajectory,
F bottom = N mg = ma
c
= mv
2
/r .direction upward
N = mv
2
/r + mg ( greater normal force - feels
heavier )


iii) Vertical Circles and Non Uniform Circular Motion :
- The speed as well as the direction of the object is
constantly changing.
Example : A block is being whirled on the end of a string
in a vertical circle:




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Free body diagrams :

At the top of the circle At the bottom of the circle
Centripetal force :
a) At the top of the circle - T and mg are directed
donwards.
F
c
= T + mg = mv
2
/r
T = mv
2
/r mg
If the block is to just be able to pass through the top circle
without the rope sagging, there is a critical or minimum
speed to be maintained.
To determine the critical/ min. speed :
Let T equal to zero.
0 = mv
2
/r mg
v
2
/r = g
v
mi n
= \( rg )
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b) At the bottom
T and mg point in opposite directions.
F
c
= T mg = mv
2
/r
T = mv
2
/r + mg ( tension in the string is the highest )

c) At intermediate position

To calculate the tension at any point in a pendulum's swing, then
the net force to the center would equal
net F
c
= T - mg cos u
mv
2
intermediate
/ r = T - mg cos u
intermediate

T =( mv
2
intermediate
/ r ) + mg cos u
intermediate


Also remember that net F
c
= mv
2
/r. In order to solve for tension,
the conservation of energy techniques is used to first solve for the
velocity at the requested intermediate position.
GPE
side
= GPE + KE
intermediate position
= KE
bottom

For vertical circles, if you take the bottom of the circle as the zero-
reference position,
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E GPE
top
+ KE
top
= E GPE
bottom
+ KE
bottom

mg(2R) + mv
top
= 0 + mv
bottom

In the special case where v
top
equals the critical velocity, v = \(Rg),
then
mg(2R) + m(\ Rg) = 0 + mv
bottom

2gR + Rg = v
bottom

v
bottom
= \( 5Rg )
* Conservation of energy methods are the easiest way to
determine an object's speed at any point along a vertical
circle so that tensions can then be calculated.



ii) Now, consider an example of a person riding a roller coaster
through a circular section of the track, a "loop-the-loop." What are
the formulas to calculate the normal force, N exerted on a object
traveling on the inside surface of a vertical circle as it passes
through the bottom? As it passes through the top?

27




At the top :



N + mg = m ( v / r )
N = m ( v / r ) mg

At the bottom :


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N - mg = m ( v / r )
N = m ( v / r ) + mg