Introduction:

Physics as we know it is the science that involves the study of matter as well as its
motion through space in time with taking into consideration other forces, variables,
motion, etc. The previous experiments tackled what are to be forms of physics in a
straight motion, meaning the body is moving in a defined and exact motion which
is motion in a straight line. This definition would definitely include the motion in
which a force is compelled to move in a circular path, effectively cancelling the
way the force wants to really go which is to go in a straight path. This force is
called the centripetal force. Defining centripetal force, it is the force that tends to
deflect an object moving in a straight path and forcing it to move in a circular path
which is different to the real direction the force really wants to go. A great example
of this is when a string with a ball attached and then attached to a pole is spun
consistently, according to this definition it will spin along the radius of the string
and when the string is cut, the ball will continue its last motion in a straight line
instead of going circular again. When a body in motion is experiencing centripetal
motion and when the motion is abruptly interrupted, the motion in which the body
will move will be in a straight line as opposed to returning to moving in a circular
fashion due to the effects acting on the body in motion. In other words, centripetal
force is simply just a label to represent the unbalanced force that is acting on the
body when it moves in a circular motion/pattern. Newton’s Second Law of Motion
is used in centripetal force to measure the magnitude of the centripetal force.

In this experiment, the effects of different and varying parameters will be observed
during the execution of the circular motion in the experiment. During this
experiment, horizontal type of circular motion is also considered as well to provide
a much larger scope.
Objectives:

The experiment had two objectives specified on the given manual. Objectives
serve as a guide to be followed and to determine what kind or what form of data
should be gathered and observed during the experiment proper. It also serves as a
part of the experiment to be processed with deep though to eliminate problems and
interactions between the variable to happen during the experiment proper as well.
The first objective is to quantify the centripetal force on the body when one of the
parameters is held constant. This objective was done through following the first
part of the experiment in which we affixed the materials given as said in the given
figure on the manual. The rotating platform was fixed in place and levelled
accordingly to the flat surface which was the table. Just as indicated in the manual
we followed the instructions to come up with a set of defined weights hanging on
the strings provided and attached to the rotating platform. To reach the
expectations of the objective, we used the various source we had as given in the
manuals in the form of formulas and calculated the values need to answer the first
objective.

The second objective is to verify the effects of varying factors involved in circular
motion. The experiment is set for us to be able to determine the various variables
needed to come up with an answer. In this objective we use these variables to
determine the effects of various varying factors that affect the motion in a circular
motion by adding weights, adjusting the weights, reducing the weights on the load
of the string as well as the pulley, increasing and decreasing the radius, varying
force and lastly, different combinations of the variables previously indicated. The
group is to be responsible to take note of the various limitations and restrictions of
the materials used as to not damage them and adjusted the weights of the pulleys
accordingly.
According to Newton’s Second law of motion,

𝑭𝒏𝒆𝒕 = 𝒎𝒂 Equation # 1

Fnet is the unbalanced force, the mass of the body is denoted by m and a is the
acceleration. In the case of bodies moving in a circular path, Fnet is the centripetal
force, and ac is the centripetal acceleration. The magnitude of the centripetal
acceleration is given by the expression,
𝜟𝒗 𝒗𝟐 Equation # 2
𝒂𝒄 = =
𝜟𝒕 𝒓
As Δt approaches zero, the instantaneous acceleration is,

𝜟𝒗 𝒅𝒗 𝒗𝟐 Equation # 3
𝒂𝒄 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = =
𝜟𝒕→𝟎 𝜟𝒕 𝒅𝒕 𝒓
Thus, the centripetal force in terms of tangential velocity is expressed as,

𝒎𝒗𝟐 Equation # 4
𝑭𝒄 =
𝒓
In terms of angular velocity, 𝜔(𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔),

Equation # 5
𝑭𝒄 = 𝒎𝒓𝝎𝟐
In terms of frequency of rotation, 𝑓(𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓),

Equation # 6
𝑭𝒄 = 𝒎𝟒𝝅𝟐 𝒇𝟐 𝒓
For formality, the table indicated below shows the appropriate units of
measurement:

Parameters SI CGS

Centripetal force Newton (N) Dynes (dynes)

Mass of rotating body Kilogram (kg) Gram (g)

Radius of rotation Meter (M) Centimetre (cm)

Tangential velocity Meters per second (m/s) Centimetre per second

(cm/s)

Angular velocity Radian per second (rad/s) Radian per second (rad/s)

Frequency of rotation Revolution per second Revolution per second

(rps) (rps)

Materials:

1 set rotating
platform

1 pc clamp-on pulley

1 pc set of weights

1 pc mass hanger

1 pc stopwatch
Procedure: Part A. Determination of Centripetal Force (constant mass)

The first instruction was to weigh the rotating body apparatus using the digital
weighing scale and record the answer to the table provided. The value will serve as
the mass m. We then used the set of weights provided to use weights to hang on the
clamp-on pulley to have a definite basis or a constant which in this case is the
constant centripetal force. We then initially set the radius to 16 cm by adjusting
and readjusting the screw for it to screw in place. A bracket in the indicator which
is colour orange is set or aligned is noted to be used later for the calculations. The
mass hanging from the clamp-on pulley is removed and the format adjusts itself as
compensation for the removal of the weights hanging from the clamp-on pulley.
The apparatus is then rotated slowly until the orange indicator is again on the
marking. Once the rotation is carefully adjusted so that it is constant, we used the
stopwatch to record the time indicated it completed 10 revolutions and recorded
and used the value indicated to solve for the required fields on the table below.

Mass of rotating body, m = 207.5 grams

(mass hanging + mass of pan) * 980 cm/s2 = 34300 dynes
TRIAL r T f Fc
1 16cm 2.024s 0.49rev/s 31469.51
dynes
2 17 2.001 0.50 34815.03
3 18 1.981 0.50 36862.97
4 19 1.956 0.51 40482.92
5 20 1.921 0.52 44301.10
Centripetal Force (average) 37605.524 dynes
Percent Difference 9.64%
Part B. Determination of Centripetal Force (variable mass)

In this part of the experiment the side post is no longer required to be moved
frequently to different positions and a constant value is used. This part is almost
similar to the first procedure only this time the radius is set to a constant value and
the mass of the rotating body changing every different trial. Once again we used
the original value of the rotating body obtained from the first procedure and reused
it on this part by using the difference of the two as the value. Another known and
defined mass is hanged on the clamp-on pulley and used as a defining basis or a
constant. The orange indicator is once again noted of its position and used as a
preference. The rotating apparatus is rotated until the indicator is centered and the
rotation of the body is somehow constant. The stopwatch is used again to
determine the time it took the body a complete ten revolutions. Then the second
procedure is repeated with new values or additional values for the mass of the
rotating body. The values obtained were taken noted of and used in the calculations
in which we used equation 6 from the previous material. The values and the
required variables were recorded on the table below similar on the manual.

Radius of rotation, r = 17 cm
(mass hanging + mass of pan) * 980 cm/s2 = 34300 dynes
TRIAL m T f Fc
1 207.5 grams 2.005 s 0.499 rev/s 34675.91
dynes
2 156.65 1.689 0.530 36596.80
3 106.25 1.381 0.720 36966.01
Centripetal Force (average) 36089.53 dynes
Percent Difference 5.22%
Part C. Determination of mass of rotating body (variable force)

During this last part of the procedure and the experiment, the weight of the rotating
body is once again obtained from the digital weighing scale similar to the first two
procedures. A known mass is hanged on the clamp-on pulley to serve as a basis for
the experiment. This part of the experiment is also remarkably similar to the
previous procedures when it comes to what is needed to be done with only
differences in what values to obtain. We set the constant radius to 17cm. The place
of the indicator is also marked to serve as a reference. The mass is removed from
the clamp-on pulley and the body is rotated once again to match the indicator with
the line from when it had weights attached to the clamp-on pulley. The stopwatch
is used to determine the time it took the body to complete ten revolutions around
and the times for each trial are recorded. The process is repeated for five trials with
each varying starting values which in this case is to hang different values to the
pulley per trial.

Radius of rotating body, r = 17 cm

Mass of rotating body, m = 207.5 grams
TRIAL Centripetal T f m
force
1 19600 dynes 2.562 s 0.39 rev/s 192.01 grams
2 24500.00 2.481 0.40 228.16
3 29400.00 2.067 0.484 218.17
4 34300.00 2.025 0.499 205.25
5 39200.00 1.808 0.550 193.09
Mass of rotating body (average) 37605.524 dynes
Percent Difference 9.64%
Conclusion:

Concluding, one can say that centripetal force can be affected by dozens of varying
variables which is almost true to most forces and motion which rely on certain
conditions to be able to be calculated such as the example from the previous
experiments. Some comparisons between values present in this experiment
includes, that as radius increased, frequency could decrease in value as well as
when the rotating body’s mass is increased. The centripetal force also increases as
frequency increases meaning that the faster an object go around a circular motion,
the more centripetal motion/force is present on the body and is also acting on the
body. This analogy is also almost true to all previous allocations and branches of
physics from the previous experiments. The more an object interacts the more
interactions it does and the more the value increases exponentially. Also based
from the experiment, when the mass suspended on the string in increased, the force
extended on it increases as well. Thus, when there is greater force, there is also a
longer and greater displacement as an effect. The work done can be determined
through the final displacement and the average constant; it is because the final and
average results are the greatest strains that the spring had as a constant load
throughout the experiment. Summarizing, there are various ways a variable can
affect an object in motion in which we learned from this and other previous
experiments. Little changes in observations could mean large differences when it
comes to the computation on the final output and answers. Centripetal force exist
as it is the force that tends to deflect an object moving in a straight path and forcing
it to move in a circular path which is greatly showed in this experiment through the
usage of the rotating apparatus used in which we determined the consistent times it
has been able to revolve around ten times which greatly varied as we moved, added
weights, adjusted the orange indicator, and reduced the weight.