Circular Motion

A body that travels an equal distances in equal amounts of time along a circular path has

a constant speed but not constant velocity. This is because velocity is a vector and thus it

has magnitude as well as direction

The velocity of P is directed along the tangent at P. The speed remains constant but the

velocity has changed. We know that if the velocity changes with time then the ball on the

string is also accelerating.

The Radian

angles can be measured in radians as well as degrees. The angle in radians is defined by.

If s = r then θ=1 rad. Therefore, 1 rad is the angle subtend at the center of a circle by an
arc equal in length to the radius. When s =2π r then θ=2 π radians=360°. Therefore, 1

rad = 360°/2 π=57.3°

θ = s/r(1)

Since we are often dealing with angles and trigonomic functions, a useful approximation

that is often used is that for small angles of &theta, sin θ and tan θ = θ where θ is

measured in radians.

&theta = sin &theta = tan θ for small angles where theta is measured in radians.

Angular Velocity
The speed of a body moving in a circle can be specified either by its speed along the

tangent at any instant (linear speed) or by the angular velocity. This is the angle swept

out in unit time by the radius joining the body to the centre. It is measured in [rad s-1]

Further, the angular velocity is the time for the particle to travel around once divided by

the period. ω = 2 π/T

ω = θ/t(2)

DERIVATION

Consider a body moving uniformly from A to B in time t so that OA rotates through a

small angle θ.

The angular velocity, ω of the body about O is ω=θ/t.

If arc AB has length s and v is the constant speed of the body, v=s/t

But s=r θ.

So, v=r θ/t and ω =θ/t,

therefore v=rω

v = r/ω(3)

Acceleration
The expression for the acceleration of an object moving in circular motion of radius r

moving at a constant speedv is derived as follows. If it travels from A to B in a short

interval of time δt then, since speed = distance x time, arc AB = vδt.

So, v δt/r = δθ.

The vectors vA and vB represent the velocities at these points. The change in velocity

between A and B obtained by subracting vA from vB.

Change in velocity = vA and vB. Parallagram rule or triangle rule. The resultant is

effectively XZ. Since one vector (-vA) is perpendicular to OA and the other vB is

perpendicular to OA and the other vB is perpendicular to OB, therefore ∠ XYZ = ∠ AOB

=δθ

If δt is small, the δθ is also small. Then the length of XZ in the figure will be almost the

same as X'Y' in b) X'Z'=rδθ but also δθ=vδt/r. Therefore, X'Z'=v2/r δt.

a=change in velocity/time interval = (v2δt/r)/δt=v2/r. Therefore a=v2/r also a=ω2r.

a = v2/r(4)
a = r ω2(5)

The direction of the acceleration is toward the centre O as can be seen if δt is made so

that A and B all but coincide; XZ is then perpendicular to vA (or vB) is along AO or BO. We

say the body has a centripetal acceleration (i.e. centre seeking). Does a body moving

uniformly in a circle have constant acceleration?

Centripetal Force
Since a body moving in a circle (or circular arc) is accelerating, it follows that from

Newton's 2nd law that there must be a force acting on it to cause the acceleration. This

force will also be directed toward the centre and is called the centripetal force. It causes

the body to deviate from the straight line motion it would naturally follow. The magnitude

of the centripetal force is given by:

F = ma = mv2/r(6)

Where m is the mass of the body and v is the speed in the circular path of radius r. If the

angular velocity of the body is ω we can also say since v=rω.

F = ma = mrω2(7)
Other examples of circular motion will be discussed in the following sections. In all cases

it is important to appreciate that the forces acting on the body must provide a resultant

force of magnitude mv2/r toward the centre.

EXPERIMENTAL MEASUREMENT OF CENTRIPETAL FORCE

The turntable is rotated by the electric motor causing the truck of known mass m to

move out from the centre of the turntable. Opposing the motion of the truck is a spring

which provides the centripetal force required to keep the truck in position. As the speed

of the turntable is increased the spring extends until the truck reaches the stop at the

end of the rails. When the truck just hits the truck the extension of the spring is of known

length. The velocity of the turntable can be found by measuring the time it takes for the

turntable make ten revolutions and dividing by ten. The velocity it then 2π/t. We know

the m and the radius and therefore the extension of the spring. We can also measure the

force required to produce the same extension of the same using a spring balance and

compare the two forces.

ROUNDING A BEND

If a car is travelling round a circular bend with uniform speed on a horizontal road, the

resultant force acting on it must be directed to the centre. ie. it must be the centripetal

force. This force arise from the interaction of the car with the air and the road. The

direction of the force exerted by the air will more or less oppose the instantaneous

direction of motion. The other more important horizontal force is the frictional force

exerted inwards by the road on the tyres of the car. The resultant of these two forces is

the centripetal force. If the centripetal force is less than the force wanting to pull the car

out, a skid will result. Safe cornering that does not rely on friction is achieved by banking

the road. The problem is to find the angle θ at which the bend should be banked so the

centripetal force acting on the car arises entirely from a component of the normal force,

N of the road.

Treating the car as a particle and resolving N vertically and horizontally we have, since N

sinθ is the centripetal force. N sinθ=mv2/r where m and v are the mass, speed and r is

the radius of the bend respectively. Also the car is assumed to remain in the same
horizontal plane therefore no horizontal acceleration therefore, N cosθ=mg. Dividing both

equations, tan θ=v2/rg

A bend in a railway track is also banked. In this case, so that at a certain speed no lateral

thrust has to be exerted by the outer rail on the flanges of the wheels of the train,

otherwise the rails are strained. The horizontal component of the normal forces of the

rails on the train provide the centripetal force.

AIRCRAFT

Figure. A banking aircraft uses the horizontal component of the lift force to provide the
centripetal force for turning.

An aircraft in straight, level flight experiences a lift force perpendicular to the surface of

its wings which balances its weight, mg. To make a turn, the ailerons are operated so

that the aircraft banks and the horizontal component of the lift supplies the necessary

centripetal force to make the aircraft turn. The lift force is always perpendicular to the
wings and so the aircraft's weight has to be supported by the vertical component of the

lift. Since this is slightly less than the weight of the aircraft, the aircraft will lose altitude

unless the lift is increased by increasing the speed or pulling the nose of the aircraft up.

THE ROTOR

The rotor is often seen at a fairground. A cylinder of around 4 meters in diameter is set

spinning. The passengers stand inside the cylinder against the wall as it spins. The

rotational motion causes the passengers to be pinned to the wall of the rotor. When the

rotor is spinning fast enough, the floor of the cylinder drops down and the passengers

remain pinned to the walls. The forces acting on a passenger of m are shown. N is the

normal force and is the centripetal force needed to keep him moving in a circle. Hence if

r is the radius of the rotor and v the speed of the passengers then N=mv2/r. If F is the

frictional force acting upwards between the passenger and the rotor wall and since there

is no vertical motion of the passenger. F=mg. If μ is the coefficient of limiting friction

between the passenger and the wall we have F=μN. Therefore, μN=mg, μ=mg/N=gr/v2.

Note that this is independent of the mass m.

A typical value of μ between clothing and the rotor wall (canvas lined) is about 0.40 so if

r=2m. v=5ms-1. What would be the angular velocity?

Since v=rω, &omega=7/2 =3.5 rad s-1. Revolutions per minute = (3.5 rads-1x60 sec)/2π

rad=210/2π=105/π

LOOPING THE LOOP

Consider a bucket of water when it is at the top of the loop A. If the weight of the water

mg is less than mv2/r, the normal force N of the bottom of the bucket on the water.

However, if the bucket is swung more slowly than mg will mv2/r and the residual part of

the weight causes the water to leave the bucket.

Centrifuge and Washing Machines

of gravity
 Space Elevator
One application of centripetal force and circular motion is found in the space elevator lift.

It was proposed by Russian scientist, Yuri Artsutanov in 1960 as a possible way of getting

into space. It works on the principle that at a object orbiting the Earth above the equator

with a period of 24 hours will remain in the same position above the Earth (see

geostationary satelites). If a rope were to be lowered from the object, then an elevator car

could climb up the rope into space without the need for a rocket. Since the rope has mass

the additional weight of the rope would cause the satellite holding it to be pulled back to

Earth. However, a counter weight orbiting the Earth a greater distance than the

geostationary height would be travelling faster to stay in the same position over the

equator the centripetal force of the counterweight can be balanced against the weight of

the rope. The result is that the rope stays in place and the space elevator becomes

possible.

Even though the theory is sound, there are significant technical challenges yet to be

overcome before the space lift becomes a reality. The first is to do with the material

properties of the rope. Given that the height of the geostationary orbit is some 3.58 x 104

km above the equator, any rope would have to be extremely strong to support its own

weight. At present there is no known material that would be able to support its own mass

at this length however, carbon-nanotubes have been suggested as a possible material for

such ropes because of their low mass per unit length and extreme strength.

Other problems such as space debris also need to be overcome.

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Contents
• Distance and Displacement

• Speed and Velocity

• Acceleration

• Linear Motion

• Momentum

• Newtons Laws of Motion

• Work

• Circular Motion

• Energy

• Angular Momentum

• Moment of Inertia

• Angular Acceleration

• Power

• Moments and Couples

• Satellite Motion

• Equilibrium

• Friction

• Simple Harmonic Motion

• Forced Oscillations

• Damped Oscillations

• Gravitation

• Keplers Laws
• Projectile Motion

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