1

TOPIC 5: UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION FORM 4

Uniform circular motion is the motion along a circular path in which there is no change in speed
only change in direction. Bodies can move in a circular path e.g. clothes in a spin dryer, the
planets around the sun, the moon circling the earth, a car turning a corner, a motion of mud on a
rotating bicycle wheel.

Anything that move in a circle:

 Has a steady speed
 Has a changing direction
 Accelerate towards the centre and yet never gets closer to it.

Illustrating circular motion

a. Motion of drops of water on a rotating umbrella

Take the umbrella that is wet with water. With the umbrella open and its handle horizontal;
rotate the handle in a circular manner as shown below.

The water drops move in a circular path with the umbrella. The force of adhesion between the
drops of water and the cloth makes the cloth and the drops of water to move together in a circular
path. As the speed of the handle increases, the adhesive force of the drops of water give up and
the drops break off from the cloth and fly off.

b. Motion of a rotating ball attached to a string

Tie a small ball to one end of a string and grip the free end of the string with one hand and rotate
it in a circular manner above the head so that the ball moves in a horizontal circle. The hand is
rotated faster and then releases the string.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 2

As the hand is rotated, the ball moves in a circular motion with a higher speed along with the
hand. The pull of the hand on the string provide a force directed towards the centre and the ball is
kept in a circular path of constant radius. When the string is released suddenly, there is no
tension in the string and the ball having uniform velocity flies off along the tangent, at a point of
release.
The activities discussed above illustrate the motion of a body in a circle of certain radius. If the
radius sweeps equal angles in each second, then the angular velocity of the body is uniform and
the body is said to execute uniform circular motion.

Angular displacement
When a particle moving along a circular path moves along the arc of the circle from A to B, the
line OA (radius) joining the particle to the centre of the circle sweeps through angle θ. The angle
swept is called angular displacement and is measured in radians.

The relationship between angular displacement θ, arc moved s and radius r is

θ
Angular displacement of a particle is the angle swept through by the radius joining the particle
to the centre of the circle.
When the length of the arc AB is equal to the radius (r) of the circle, the angle subtended by the
arc at the centre of the circle is equal to one radian. 1 Radian is angle subtended at the centre by
an arc of length equal to the radius of the circle. Radian is denoted as rad.

If the length of the arc is 2 times the radius, then the angular displacement is 2 radians.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 3

For the whole circle the length of the arc is its circumference .i.e. 2πr and the angular
displacement is 2πradian.

The angle at the centre of the circle is 2π radians i.e. 360o

2π radians = 360o
1 radian = less

Example
The radius of a particle moving along a circular path sweeps through an angle of 60o at the centre
of the circle. Calculate the angular displacement of the particle?

Linear velocity
A body moving from point A to point B in a straight line has linear velocity. Distance from A to
be is called linear displacement.

Linear velocity is the rate of change of linear displacement.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 4

Angular velocity
Consider a particle moving along a circular path covering an arc of length AB in a time (t). The
angular displacement of the radius OA is in the same time (t). Such a body is said to have
angular velocity (ω).

Angular velocity is the rate of change of angular displacement.

( )

It is measured in radian per second (rad/s)

Relationship between angular velocity and frequency

For one complete circular motion, θ = 360o = 2π radians and time taken‘t’ = T

∴ Angular velocity =

Since frequency of revolution:

∴ ( ) ( )

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 5

Relationship between the angular velocity and linear velocity

When a body is whirled around it moves with an angular velocity but when suddenly released it
flies off along a tangential velocity or linear velocity.

Consider an object that covers an arc distance s, from point A to point B, in time t

( )

∴ ( )
Around the arc s, velocity, v =

But is the linear velocity or tangential velocity, v of the rotating particle and is its angular
velocity. Therefore,

∴ ( )

Example 1
The figure below shows the motion of the second hand of a clock, calculate the angular velocity.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 6

The tip of a second hand clock takes 60 seconds to make one complete revolution i.e. 2π rad

Example 2
A bicycle wheel makes 300 revolutions per minute (r.p.m). Calculate the angular velocity of the
wheel?

1 revolution / minute = 2π
300 revolutions per minute = more

∴
Or

Example 3
Calculate the angular velocity of the earth when it is rotating about its own axis. (Time period of
the earth about its own axis = 24 hours).
( )

( )

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 7

Example 4
A ball tied to a string is rotated at uniform speed in a circle of radius 10 cm. it takes 1.5 seconds
to describe an arc of length 6 cm. calculate its

a. Tangential velocity/linear velocity

b. Angular velocity

c. Periodic time

Example 5
The wheel of a car of radius 20 cm is rotating at a frequency of 20 Hz. Calculate the linear
speed of the car.

Circular motion and centripetal force

Centripetal force is the force that constrains (makes) object in motion to move in a circular
motion. Centripetal is a Greek word meaning ‘seeking centre’. So this force is also called the
centre seeking force. Force required to keep the body in circular path (centripetal force)
depends upon the three factors:

i. the speed of revolution of the body i.e.

ii. The radius of the circular path i.e.
iii. The mass of the body undergoing circular motion (m) i.e.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 8

These centripetal force formulae ( ) combined together gives:

where K is constant proportionality and its value in the experiments above is 1

Therefore, Centripetal force (F) where:

m is the mass of the object
v is the linear speed along the circular path
r is the radius of the circular path

Centripetal force in terms of angular velocity

From the experiments, centripetal force F is given by;

But v = rω, where ω is angular velocity. Substituting for

( )

What happens when the centripetal force fails?

The force of adhesion between the mud particles and the tyre or the water drops and the cloth of
the umbrella provides the centripetal force. When the wheel of the bicycle and the umbrella start
moving at a higher speeds the centripetal force acting towards the centre of the circle increases.
Since the adhesive force is small, it is not able to provide the required centripetal force and the
mud particles or the water molecules fly along the tangent.

Centripetal acceleration
When a body executes uniform circular motion, though the speed is uniform, its direction of
motion is continuously changing. The direction of the body at a point P is along the tangent
drawn at P. When the body is at Q, it is along the tangent drawn at Q.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 9

For a body in uniform circular motion, the linear velocity changes continuously since only one
direction changes continuously. Change of velocity with time is the acceleration and so during
circular motion, the body is accelerating due to continuous change in direction although the
speed remains uniform.

From Newton’s second law of motion,

But centripetal force,

Therefore, the centripetal acceleration, a, of the body towards the centre is given by

Where v1 = v2 = v (in magnitude) and r is the radius of a circular path. This acceleration is called
centripetal acceleration and is different from the linear acceleration. The centripetal acceleration
acts towards the centre of the circle and it is 90o to the tangent at each point of motion.

Example 1
A 5 kg mass move at uniform speed of 18 m/s in a circular path of radius 0.5 m. Calculate the
centripetal force acting on the mass.

Example 2
A car of mass 1200 kg has to make a circular turn of radius 30 m. If it is moving with a uniform
speed of 10 m/s, calculate the centripetal force acting on the car.

Application of uniform circular motion

1. A car negotiating a circular path on a horizontal road.
When a car is going round a circular path on a horizontal road, the centripetal force
required for circular motion is provided by the frictional force F, between the tyres and
the road.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 10

2. Banked tracks
In order that a motorist does not fully depend on the frictional force between the tyre and
the load, circular paths are given a small banking angle, i.e. the outer edge of the road is
raised a little above the inner side so that the track is slopping towards the centre of the
curve. The figure below shows a part of the contact force R (the normal reaction force)
acting towards the centre of the circle providing the required centripetal force.

3. Leaning inward of a cyclist

A cyclist going round a curve leans inwards to provide the necessary centripetal force, so
as to be able to go along the curved track. Just like a car on a banked track, a part of the
contact force or the reaction force provides the required centripetal force acting towards
the centre of the track as shown in the figure below.

4. An aircraft taking a circular turn

When an aircraft takes a turn in a horizontal plane, it must make a correct banking angle
in midair as shown in the figure below in order to successfully negotiate the curved path.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 11

5. Conical pendulum
Consider a simple pendulum held in the hand with the bob of the pendulum hanging
freely. If the hand is swung in a circular pattern, the bob of the pendulum starts revolving
in the horizontal circle of radius r as shown in the figure below.

If the speed of the bob increased gradually, the radius of the circle in which the bob
revolves also increases. At any stage, part of the tension T developed in the string
provides the required centripetal force for the bob to execute circular motion. If the speed
of the bob is increased gradually, at a certain maximum value, the string may break. If the
string breaks then the tension developed in the string is not able to provide the required
centripetal force.

6. Centrifuge
Centrifuge is a device that separates liquids of different densities or solids suspended in
liquids. The mixture is poured into a tube in the centrifuge, which is then rotated at a high
speed in a horizontal circle, either mechanically or with the help of a motor. The tube is
initially in the vertical position and takes up the horizontal position when the centrifuge
starts working as shown in the figure below.

The matter of low density moves inwards towards the centre of rotation. On stopping the
rotation, tube returns to the vertical position with less dense matter at the top. It is
worthwhile to note that though the angular velocity of each part of the tube is the same,
the linear speeds are different due to different radii for matters of different densities
(masses).

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS

 12

In a cream separator, when the milk is churned rapidly, cream being lighter comes
towards the top of the tube and can be removed.

In the same manner when blood is rotated at high speed in a centrifuge, red blood cells
and the blood fluid are separated.

Viruses and germs in the blood can be separated in a similar manner. Very high speed
centrifuges called ultra-centrifuges have been developed which can be rotated at more
than a million rotations per minute and are extremely useful in medical researches. Such
researches include the study of viruses such as HIV which causes AIDS.

7. Drying machine
Wet clothes are rotated in a cylindrical drum containing a lot of perforations. Initially the
wet clothes move in a circular motion along with the drum. As the speed of the drum
increases, the adhesive force of water in the clothes ‘gives up’ and water breaks off from
the clothes and flies off through the perforations.

Compiled by C. Jobe (Andreah) Reference: Excel and succeed Book 4 MHSS