Position and Displacement

G
r (t ) : position vector of an object moving in a
circular orbit of radius R

G
Circular Motion r (t ): change in position between time t and
time t+t

Position vector is changing in direction not in

8.01 magnitude.

W05D1 The magnitude of the displacement is the length

of the chord of the circle:

G
r = 2 R sin( / 2)

Direction of Velocity
Small Angle Approximation
When the angle is small:
G
Sequence of chord r directions
approach direction of velocity as t sin , cos 1
approaches zero.
Power series expansion
3 5
The direction of velocity is perpendicular
to the direction of the position and tangent
sin = + ...
3! 5!
to the circular orbit.
2
4
cos = 1 + ...
Direction of velocity is constantly 2! 4!
changing.
Using the small angle approximation with = / 2 ,
the magnitude of the displacement is
G
r = 2 R sin( / 2) R

1
 Circular motion: Constant
Speed and Angular Speed Speed, Period, and Frequency
In one period the object travels a distance equal to the
The speed of the object undergoing circular motion is circumference:
proportional to the rate of change of the angle with time:
s = 2 R = vT
G
G r R d
v v = lim = lim = R lim =R = R Period: the amount of time to complete one circular orbit
t 0 t t 0 t t 0 t dt of radius R
d 2 R 2 R 2
Angular speed: = (units: rad s-1 ) T= = =
dt v R
Frequency is the inverse of the period:

1
f = = (units: s 1 or Hz)
T 2

Acceleration and
Circular Motion Concept Question: Coastal
When an object moves in a circular orbit,
Highway
the direction of the velocity changes and A sports car drives along
the speed may change as well. the coastal highway at a
constant speed. The
acceleration of the car is
For circular motion, the acceleration will
always have a radial component (ar) due 1. zero
to the change in direction of velocity
2. sometimes zero
The acceleration may have a tangential
component if the speed changes (at). 3. never zero
When at =0, the speed of the object
remains constant 4. constant

2
 Direction of Radial Change in Magnitude of
Acceleration: Uniform Circular Velocity:Uniform Circular Motion
Motion Change in velocity:
G G G
G v = v (t + t ) v (t )
Sequence of chord directions v
approaches direction of radial Magnitude of change in velocity:
acceleration as t approaches zero G
v = 2v sin ( / 2)
Perpendicular to the velocity Using small angle approximation
vector
G
Points radially inward
v v

Radial Acceleration:
Constant Speed Circular Tangential Acceleration
Motion The tangential acceleration is the rate of change of
Any object traveling in a circular orbit with a constant speed is the magnitude of the velocity
always accelerating towards the center.
v d d 2
Direction of velocity is constantly changing. at = lim = R lim =R = R 2 = R
t 0 t t 0 t dt dt

Radial component of ar (minus sign indicates direction of Angular acceleration: rate of change of angular
acceleration points towards center) velocity with time
v v d v2 d d 2
ar = lim = lim = v lim = v = v = = = 2 (units: rad s-2 )
t0 t t0 t t0 t dt R dt dt
v2
ar = = 2R
R

3
 Alternative forms of
Magnitude of
Radial Acceleration
Parameters: speed v, angular speed ,
angular frequency f, period T
v2
ar = = R 2 = R(2 f ) 2 =
R T2
Concept Question: Circular
Motion
As the object speeds up along the circular
path in a counterclockwise direction
shown below, its acceleration points:
1. toward the center of the circular
path.
4 2 R
2. in a direction tangential to the
circular path.
3. outward.
4. none of the above.

Concept Question: Circular Summary: Kinematics of

Motion Circular Motion
An object moves counter-clockwise along the circular path shown
Arc length s = R
below. As it moves along the path its acceleration vector
ds d
= R
continuously points toward point S. The object
Tangential velocity v= =R
1. speeds up at P, Q, and R.
dt dt
2. slows down at P, Q, and R.
dv d 2
3. speeds up at P and slows down at R. Tangential acceleration at = = R 2 = R
4. slows down at P and speeds up at R. dt dt
5. speeds up at Q.
v2
ar = v = = R 2
6. slows down at Q.
7. No object can execute such a motion.
Centripetal
R

4
 Cylindrical Coordinate Circular Motion: Vector
System Description
Use plane polar coordinates
Coordinates (r, , z) G
Position r (t ) = R r (t )

(r ,, z ) G d
Unit vectors
Velocity v (t ) = R (t ) = R (t )
dt
G
Acceleration a = ar r + at

at = r , ar = r 2 = (v 2 / r )

Modeling Problems: Newtons Second Law:

Circular Motion Equations of Motion for Circular
Always has a component of acceleration pointing radially
inward
Motion
May or may not have tangential component of
acceleration

Draw Free Body Diagram for all forces

mv2/r is not a force but mass times acceleration and

does not appear on force diagram

Choose a sign convention for radial direction and check

that signs for forces and acceleration are consistent

5
Concept Question: Circular
Motion and Force
A pendulum bob swings down and is moving fast at the lowest point
in its swing. T is the tension in the string, W is the gravitational force
exerted on the pendulum bob. Which free-body diagram below best
represents the forces exerted on the pendulum bob at the lowest
point? The lengths of the arrows represent the relative magnitude of
the forces.
Concept Question: Cart in a
turn
A golf cart moves around a circular path on a
level surface with decreasing speed. Which
arrow is closest to the direction of the cars
acceleration while passing the point P?
Concept Question: Car in a
turn
You are a passenger in a racecar approaching a turn after a
straight-away. As the car turns left on the circular arc at constant
speed, you are pressed against the car door. Which of the
following is true during the turn (assume the car doesn't slip on
the roadway)?
1. A force pushes you away from the door.
2. A force pushes you against the door.
3. There is no force that pushes you against the door.
4. The frictional force between you and the seat pushes you against
the door.
5. There is no force acting on you.
6. You cannot analyze this situation in terms of the forces on you
since you are accelerating.
7. Two of the above.
8. None of the above.
Table Problem: Experiment 2
One end of a spring is attached to the central axis of a motor. The axis
of the motor is in the vertical direction. A small ball of mass m2 is then
attached to the other end of the spring. The motor rotates at a constant
frequency f . Neglect the gravitational force exerted on the ball.
Assume that the ball and spring rotate in a horizontal plane. The spring
constant is k. Let r0 denote the unstretched length of the spring.
(i) How long does it take the ball to complete one rotation?
(ii) What is the angular frequency of the ball in radians per sec?
(iii) What is the radius of the circular motion of the ball?