CIRCULAR MOTION

Main Formulae Key to symbols used

Linking angular velocity, angle turned and time: F = Centripetal Force (in N)

 m = mass (in kg)
t
v = linear velocity (in m/s)
Linking angular velocity and Period :
2
 = angular velocity (in radians/sec)
T
 r = radius (in m)
Linking frequency and Period: T = Period (in secs)
1 f = frequency (in Hertz)
f 
T  = angle turned in radians
Linking angular velocity, linear velocity and a = inwards acceleration (in m/s2)
radius: v  r
t = time (in secs)
Linking linear velocity, radius and inwards
v2
acceleration: a
r
Linking Centripetal Force, linear velocity and
mv 2
radius: F 
r
Linking Centripetal Force, angular velocity and
radius: F  mr 2
1.A satellite S orbits the Earth once every 87 minutes.

Show that its angular speed is approximately 1 × 10 –3 radians per second.

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In the space on the right draw a free-body force diagram for the satellite in the position
shown.

Earth

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With reference to your free-body force diagram, explain why the satellite is accelerating.
The reason why the satellite is accelerating is because the
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gravitational attraction between the Earth and the satellite, and also
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because the satellite is accelerating towards the Earth
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 The radius of the satellite’s orbit is 6500 km. Calculate the magnitude of its acceleration.

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Acceleration = ................................................
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2. Explain why a body moving at constant speed in a circular path needs a resultant force acting on
it.
Body moving at constant speed in a circular path needs a resulting force acting on
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it because since velocity is a vector (and has both direction and magnitude) the
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direction the body is moving in a constantly changing speed. Like Newton's
second law of motion says that there must be a net external force acting on the
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object in order to be moving.
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The diagram shows a student at the equator standing on a set of weighing scales, and a free-
body force diagram for the student.

N
Weighing scales

Student

A B

Identify the bodies applying forces A and B.

The body applying forces is that A exerts force on B, then B must exert a force of equal
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magnitude and to the opposite direction to back to A (According to Newton's Third Law)
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Because of the Earth’s daily rotation the student is performing circular motion about the Earth’s
axis. Calculate the angular speed of the student.

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Angular speed =.................................

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3. In a washing machine clothes are placed inside a metal drum with small holes in it. When the
wet clothes are spun, the drum rotates at high speed and water escapes through the holes. The
drum has a radius of 0.220 m and rotates at 800 revolutions per minute.

Show that the speed of the rim of the drum is approximately 18 m s–1.

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The diagram shows a piece of clothing in the drum which is spinning anticlockwise.

Clothing

Centre of
drum
Drum
0.220 m
Estimate the magnitude of the acceleration of this piece of clothing.

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Acceleration = ............................................
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Add an arrow to the diagram to show the direction of this acceleration. Label the arrow A.

Explain what force produces this acceleration.

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A drop of water becomes detached from the clothing at point P, which is next to one of the
holes in the drum. Draw an arrow on the diagram to show the path which the drop of water
now follows. Label this arrow B.
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4.The London Eye is a tourist attraction designed to give passengers a panoramic view over
London. The giant wheel completes two revolutions in one hour. Each capsule moves with a
constant speed of 0.26 m s–1 as it follows a circular path.

Figure 1
 B
Not to scale 0.26 m s–1

Hub

Passenger
capsule

Ground

(a) Calculate the radius of this circular path.

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Radius = .............................................
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(b) A man of mass 85 kg follows a circular path of this radius as he rides in a capsule.
What is the magnitude and direction of the resultant force acting on the man?

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(c) Figure 2 shows the free-body force diagram for the man when the capsule is at
position A as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 2

Force P

Man

Force Q

(i) Name forces P and Q

Force P is the normal force
Force P: .............................................................................................................
Force Q is the gravitational for (force of gravity)
Force Q: ............................................................................................................
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 (ii) When the man is at position A there is no resultant vertical force acting on him.
In this position force P = force Q in magnitude. Explain why the man continues
his motion in a circle.

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(iii) Explain why force Q must be larger than force P when the capsule is at position
B.

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5. To make an object of mass m move at speed around a circular path of radius r, a resultant
force must act on it. The magnitude of the resultant force is given by m 2/r.

Explain why a resultant force is required, and state its direction.

A resultant force is required because when an object travels in a circular

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path the velocity is constantly changing, and therefore there must be a
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resultant force acting on the object. The resultant force creates a constant
acceleration. The direction is towards the center in which the object will
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move.
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When vehicles corner on a level road, the resultant force is provided by friction. For a given
vehicle and road surface, the friction cannot exceed a certain maximum value. Use these
facts, together with the expression for the resultant force, to explain why roads designed for
high-speed travel have no sharp bends.

Rods designed for high-speed travel have no sharp bends because the
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higher the speed that means the frictional force will be larger. For the sharp
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bends, the centripetal force would need to be greater than the maximum
frictional force. (friction between the tires and the road) and therefore
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friction acts like the centripetal force.
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On a bobsleigh run, the bobsleigh travels along an ice channel with little friction. When
cornering, it slides up the side of the channel until the required resultant force is provided.

The diagram shows a head-on view of a bobsleigh travelling at speed  round a bend which
is part of a horizontal circle centred at the point O. The bobsleigh is tilted through an angle .

Ice

O Bobsleigh
(Centre of
circle)
Below is a free-body force diagram for the bobsleigh. Friction is assumed to be negligible.

Bobsleigh

mg

The normal contact force exerted by the ice on the bobsleigh is N, and its weight is mg.

Write down an equation expressing the condition for no vertical acceleration.

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Write down an equation applying Newton’s second law horizontally.

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Hence show that

2
tan  =
rg

(tan  = sin  / cos )

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 Calculate the value of angle for a bobsleigh travelling at 30.0 m s–1 around a bend of
radius 20.0 m.

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 =…...................................................

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6. A body of mass m travelling at constant speed v around a circular path of radius r must have a
resultant force F acting upon it. Write down a formula for the magnitude of F and state the
direction in which it acts.

Formula: ..........................................................................................................................

Direction: .........................................................................................................................
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The diagram shows a car at the highest point A of a hump-backed bridge.

25.0 m

When the car is driven over the bridge it follows part of a vertical circle of radius 25.0 m
centred at the point O below the bridge.

Below is a free-body force diagram for the car at point A.

Normal reaction R

Weight

The mass of the car is 925 kg. Calculate the normal reaction force R

(i) when the car is parked at rest at A,

FN= mv2/r R=(925kg)(0)2/25m
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R= 34225N
0N
R = ..................................................................
(ii) when the car is passing point A at a speed of 10.0 m s–1.

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FN= mv2/r R=(925kg)(10.0m/s)2/25m
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R= 3700N

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3700N
R = ..................................................................
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If the car is driven across the bridge repeatedly, at gradually increasing speeds, it is found
that, above a certain critical speed, the car loses contact with the road at A, and “takes off ”.
Explain why this happens.

I think this happens because the weight of the car is the centripetal
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force (acceleration), which is not enough to keep the car in circular
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motion. It appears to be weightless when it 'takes off' as the only
force acting it its weight or gravity so it's in free fall (motion)
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Calculate the critical speed for this particular bridge.

Critical speed= square root (g*r) Critical speed= square root(9.8m/s2)(25m)

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Critical speed= 15.66m/s
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15.66m/s (I rounded it)
Critical speed = ..............................................
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An object which is in free fall is said to be “apparently weightless”. Explain what this means,
illustrating your answer with reference to the situation described in this question.
The object still has a weight, since weight is “the force exerted on the mass of a
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body by a gravitational field.” So the object still has the same weight, W = m * g,
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where m is the mass of the object, and g is the local acceleration due to gravity

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