Lesson Plan

Lesson: Circular Motion 1

Aim: To enable the students to describe and understand uniform circular motions and the
parameters used in uniform circular motion.

Lesson objectives

In this lesson, students:

ƒ Will investigate the relationship between speed and velocity in a circular motion context.
ƒ Will begin to consider qualitatively the forces which act on a body undergoing circular motion.
ƒ Will be introduced to the radian.
ƒ Will be introduced to angular velocity.
ƒ Will practise relating radian values to degree values and segments of circles.

Assumed prior knowledge

Students should already:

ƒ Know that there are scalar and vector quantities and to which category speed, velocity, acceleration
and force belong.
ƒ Know the angles in degrees which correspond to common fractions of a circle (e.g. 3/4, 2/3, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4,
1
/8).

Underlying principles

• To make the invisible visible

• To show the students what they should know.

Activity descriptions
ƒ Activity 1
Going nowhere at constant speed
Using an animation of a toy train students are asked to decide whether its speed and velocity are constant
or changing at different points in its motion.
They then compare two trains and are asked to consider whether they have the same or different speeds
and velocities.

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 1

 The third scenario asks students to consider qualitatively the different forces and accelerations acting on an
object undergoing both uniform and non-uniform circular motion.
They are introduced to the term centripetal force.
Activity 2
ƒ

A new angle
Students investigate the angle subtended in different circles by arcs equal in length to their radii and are
introduced to the definition of the radian.
2π
Students are led to produce the equation ω =
T
Students use a game of comparing cards to practise recognising equivalent angles expressed as radians,
degrees or segments of circles.

Development of Lesson

No. Steps Strategy Resources

1. Set Induction • Relate everyday examples of Curved curtain
circular motion, like Ferris railing, small
wheel, merry-go-round, glass marbles,
racing cars taking a bend etc. clamp and retort
• For demonstration, bend stand for the
curtain railing in curved or demonstration
circular shape and held
vertical by clamps and retort
stand. Allow small marble to
roll on the railing.
2. Student activity • Teacher projects activities of
lesson on the screen • LCD projector
Summary of activity • Teachers starts activity one • Teacher’s lap-
by one by following the top computer
instruction in the program and • Multimedia
followed by questions and courseware
answers
• Teacher may invites students
to click the buttons
• Teacher together with the
students summaries the
lesson using the summary

3. Worksheet Teacher distributes the printable

worksheet to students • Printed copies
• Students supposed to of worksheet
complete worksheet
individually
• Completed worksheets to
collected by teacher for

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 marking
4. Extension activity • Students are asked to look for Suggested web
further information by: sites
1. Surfing the internet using the
search engines like Yahoo or Recommended
Alta Vista, Google text references.
2. looking up text references.

Worksheet Answers

Lesson : Circular Motion 1

1. Uniform Circular Motion

1.1 (a) The linear velocity constantly changing because the direction change. The linear speed is constant
(b) There is force acting on the object moving in uniform circular motion
(c) The force may be provided by the tension in a string, friction, gravity and acting towards the centre
of the circle.
(d) The force is called centripetal force

1.2 (a) The two ball bearings will move tangentially in the direction of the rotation
3
(b) The ball bearing at r from the centre will have higher speed and velocity than the ball bearing at
4
1
r from the centre.
2
3
(c) There are centripetal forces acting on the two ball bearing. The ball bearing at r has higher force
4
1
than ball bearing at r. Both forces acting towards the centre of the circle.
2

1
1.3 (a) Degree is a unit for angle. One degree is of a circle.
360
(b) Radian is SI unit of angle. One radian is the angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc on
the circumference equal in length to the radius.
(c) 1 circle =  radians

360
(d)  radians = 360o . Therefore 1 radian =
2π
180
= degrees
π

© 2003 Ministry Of Education Malaysia. All Rights Reserved. 3