THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 2015

Circular Motion &

Centripetal Force
Keywords:
• Circular motion
Starter • Centripetal force
[use textbook to help you] • Mass
• Velocity
• Radius
• Centrifugal Force
Write down Newton’s Three Laws of Motion
1st Law:…………………………………………………………
2nd Law:…………………………………………………………
3rd Law:…………………………………………………………….
 Newton’s first law of motion

 It is known that, an object will remain stationary, or

keep moving at constant velocity in a straight line
unless acted upon by an unbalanced force
 The centripetal force always acts toward the centre of the circle.

The centripetal force is determined from the following equation:

• If a ball is tied to the end

of a strong string and
swung in a circle, the ball
accelerates towards the
centre of the circle.
• The centripetal force
which causes the inwards
acceleration is from the
tension in the string
caused by the person’s
hand pulling the string.
• If the string breaks there is
no longer a resultant force
acting on the ball, so it will
continue its motion in a
The centripetal force required to make an object
perform circular motion increases in the following
cases:
 If the mass of the object increases.
 If the velocity of the object increases.
 If the radius of the circle decreases.
Centripetal force
Centripetal force
sen tripit ul
The inward
force
on a
Spinning
object.
Centripetal force
The
inward force
on a
Spinning
object.
 Take notes, you are scientists!

 What is causing the inward force holding the

PENNY in orbital motion?
 What is causing the inward force holding the
WATER in orbital motion?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDRI
6iQ9Fw
• Satellites stay in place as they orbit
because of . . .
• the repeated firing of rocket boosters.
• the gravitational pull of Earth.
• a narrow path through the vacuum of
space.
• solar panels generating energy to hold
them in place
 Centrifugal Force

 Just like we have an inward

seeking force with circular
motion, we can also have an
outward seeking motion.
 This outward seeking motion is
called Centrifugal force.
IGCSE EXAM QUESTION 2010
ANSWER