Motion in a Circle

TAY LOR COLLEGE S UBANG JAYA

1 7 T H APR I L 20 15
P R E PA R E D BY W O N G X I N X I N

Area to be covered:
Key terms in Circular motion
Period, Frequency, Tangential velocity in circular motion
Angular displacement, and Angular velocity,

Acceleration in Circular motion Centripetal

acceleration
Uniform Circular Motion
Force in a circle- Who is the contributor for Centripetal
Force?

What is circular motion?

- motion of objects traveling in circular paths.
Example of circular motion:
1) A ball tied to the end of a string and whirled around.
2) A child on a merry-go-round.
3) A car rounding a circular curve.
4) The earth orbiting the sun (approximately).
5) Minutes hand in a clock.

 The time taken for an object to complete one

revolution around
circular path is called its Period.

Period , T

The symbol for Period is T

Periods are measured in units of time; we will use
seconds (s).

Frequency,
f

Another useful measurement in circular motion is

how often a cycle repeats.

The symbol for frequency is f and the units

we measure with are "Hz" (hertz)
A common example of frequency can be seen on
the dashboard of a car, noting revolutions per
minute (rpm) of the engine crankshaft.

In kinematics, we defined the speed of an object as

Tangential
Velocity, v

Each trip around a circle, an object travels a length

equal to the circle's circumference.
Circumference of circle, C = 2r ( r = radius of circle)
Time taken to complete a circle , t = T ( One period)
Therefore,
Since frequency, f = 1/T
Hence,

 A velocity must have a magnitude and a direction.

Tangential
Velocity, v

If an object is in uniform circular motion, the direction of

its velocity is always changing!
We say the velocity is tangent to its circumference.

 The angular displacement, is defined by:

Angular
Displaceme
nt,

The unit for is radian (rad)

s = arc length
r = Radius of circle.

 Just like linear kinematics,

Angular
Velocity,

Therefore, in circular motion:

The angular displacement swept by radius in one

period, T
= 2 radian
Hence, angular velocity shall be equal to:
Unit of is rad s-1
If frequency, f = 1/T, then
where f = no. of revolutions per second.

We
can relate the tangential speed, v with angular
velocity, by:

Angular
Velocity,

In linear kinematics, we learn about relationship about acceleration, a and

velocity, v by discussing the direction of these two vectors.
Bear in mind, Acceleration and velocity vectors are in parallel.
a is in same direction with v

a is in opposite direction with v

Magnitude of v increasing. (Speed

Up)
Direction of v remains
a

vi

Magnitude of v increasing. (Speed Up)

Direction of v remains

v
f

Magnitude of v decreasing. (Slowing Down)

i and changed after

Direction of v remains

vmomentarily stop.
f

If a is perpendicular to v ?
Acceleration is the rate of the velocity change, i.e.
Because velocity is a vector, there are many ways to change velocity:
1. change the magnitude of the velocity (change speed) without change it's direction.
2. change direction of the velocity without change it's magnitude: this is the circular motion.
3. change both magnitude and direction of the velocity.
However, if the acceleration is always perpendicular to
the velocity, the velocity will change direction without
change it's magnitude. This is the circular motion.
So, for circular motion, the force(acceleration) always
perpendicular to it's velocity.

This acceleration in circular motion is called the

centripetal acceleration.
It direction is always towards the center of the circle.
It's magnitude is given by

Centripetal
acceleration

a=

V
r

v1

a1

where r is the radius of the circle

r
a2
v2

Derivation of Centripetal Acceleration

Looking at the change in velocity in the limit that the time interval
becomes infinitesimally small, we see that we get two similar triangles.

vt

v1
v1

v2

v2

Derivation of Centripetal Acceleration

Looking at the change in velocity in the limit that the time interval
becomes infinitesimally small, we see that we get two similar triangles.
vt
v1
r

v
v2

Derivation of Centripetal Acceleration

These are similar triangles because the angles are all congruent,
so the sides must be in proportion.
v
vt
v = r
2

v = v
t
r
a

vt

v1
v2

v
r

That's the magnitude of the

acceleration, we can see that the
direction is towards the center of the
circle.

Derivation of Centripetal Acceleration

These are similar triangles because the angles are all
congruent, so the sides must be in proportion.
v
vt
=
v
r

v
vt

v1

v2

v = v
t
r
a

v
r

Uniform Circular Motion

v1
As we said earlier, an object is in
Uniform Circular Motion if its motion
is in a circle of constant radius at
constant speed.
The direction of motion is always
changing, but the distance from the
center of the circle remains the
same, and so does the time it takes
to travel completely around the
circle.
v2

Uniform Circular Motion

v1
Imagine the direction that a ball
swinging in a circle on a string is
actually moving at any point in
time...
If you were to cut the string, the ball
would keep moving straight out
of the circular path.
This direction is actually
perpendicular to the radius of the
circle (the string), and it is called
tangent to the circle.

v2

Dynamics of Uniform Circular Motion

v1
For an object to be in uniform
circular motion, there must be a
net force acting on it.

We already know the centripetal

acceleration, so we can similarly
write the net force:

F
v2

Dynamics of Uniform Circular Motion

We can see that the force must

be inward by thinking about a
ball on a string:

Force on ball
exerted by string
Force on hand
exerted by string

Exercise

An object is in circular motion. The radius of its

motion is 2.0 m and its velocity is 30 m/s. What
is its frequency?

An object is traveling with a velocity of 6.0 m/s in

a circular path whose radius is 4.0m. What is the
magnitude of it centripetal acceleration?

An object is traveling with a velocity of 6.0 m/s in a

2
circular path. It's acceleration is 3.0 m/s . What is
the radius of its path?

An object is traveling with a in a circular

path whose radius is 65m. It's
2
acceleration is 3.0 m/s . What is its
velocity?

An object is traveling with a in a circular path

2
whose radius is 65m. It's acceleration is 3.0 m/s .
What is the period of its motion?

Is it possible for an object moving with a

constant speed to accelerate? Explain.
c

No, if the speed is constant then the

acceleration is equal to zero.

No, an object can accelerate only if there is a net

force acting on it.

Yes, although the speed is constant, the direction

of the velocity can be changing.
Yes, if an object is moving it can experience
acceleration

An object moves in a circular path at a constant

speed. Compare the direction of the object's
velocity and acceleration vectors.
c

Both vectors point in the same direction

The vectors point in opposite directions

The vectors are perpendicular

The question is meaningless, since the

acceleration is zero

What type of acceleration does an object moving

with constant speed in a circular path experience?

free fall

constant acceleration

linear acceleration

c
D

centripetal acceleration

10

Consider a particle moving with constant speed

such that its acceleration of constant magnitude is
always perpendicular to its velocity.
c

It is moving in a straight line

c
B

It is moving in a circle

It is moving in a parabola

None of the above is definitely true all of the

time

11

What force is needed to make an object move in

a circle?
c

kinetic friction

static friction

centripetal force

weight

12

When an object experiences uniform circular

motion, the direction of the net force is
c

in the same direction as the motion of the object

in the opposite direction of the motion of the

object
is directed toward the center of the circular path

is directed away from the center of the circular

path

13

A car with a mass of 1800 kg goes around

an 18 m radius turn at a speed of 35 m/s.
What is the centripetal force on the car?

1
4

A 10 kg ball on a 0.3m long string spins at

a rate of 3 m/s. What is the net force on
the ball?

15

A net force of 100N pulls a 15kg mass toward the

center of a circle, radius 2m. What is the speed
of the mass?

16

A 75 kg mass is attached to the end of a 5.0 m

long metal rod string which rotates in a
horizontal circular path. If the maximum force
that the rod can withstand is 8500 N. What is
the maximum speed that the mass can attain
without breaking the rod?

Think of uniform circular motion in terms of your personal

experiences. What causes it? What are the associated
centripetal forces?
The tension in a cord (twirling a rock on a string),

Contributors
Of
Centripetal
force

Normal forces (a carnival ride)

Static friction (tires on pavement)
The force of gravity (planetary orbits)
The Coulomb force (the motion of an electron about a
nucleus).

Horizontal Circular Motion

Uniform
Circular
motion in
Daily Life

Conical Pendulum
Car cornering
Banked curves
Moon orbiting around Earth
Vertical Circular Motion
Vertical Loop in Roller Coaster
Vertical looping a metal bob