2.2.

CIRCULAR MOTION -
APPLICATIONS of NEWTON’S LAWS
 CONTENT
1. Uniform circular motion
2. Non - uniform Circular Motion
3. Motion in Non Inertial Reference Frame
4. Motion in the Presence of Resistive Forces
(Drag Force)
6.1 UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION
! ! ! ! dv ! v ! 2

v a =a +a = t
dt
t+n
R
n

! uniform => v = const =>

dv !
= 0 => a =0
an ! a! = a! = v n! 2
dt
t

! v !
n
R
an " v2 !
F = ma = m n
R
O
The force causing a centripetal acceleration
acts toward the center of the circular path
and causes a change in the direction of the
velocity vector.
Example 6.1 The Conical Pendulum
A small ball of mass m is suspended from a string of length L. The ball revolves with
constant speed v in a horizontal circle of radius r as shown in Figure 6.3. (Because the
string sweeps out the surface of a cone, the system is known as a conical pendulum.)
Find an expression for v.

! ! !
ma = P + T (1)
(1) / y 0 = - mg + T cos q => T cos q = mg (2)
2
v
(1) / n! ma n = T sin q ; an =
r
2ü
v ï v 2
T sin q = m ý Þ tan q =
r gr
T cos q = mg ïþ
Þ v = gr tan q ; r = L sin q
Þ v = gL sin q tan q
What if q =90o ?
When q =90o the string is horizontal. the speed v is infinite=> the string cannot possibly
be horizontal. there would be no vertical component of the force T to balance the
gravitational force.
Example 6.2 How Fast Can It Spin?
A puck of mass 0.500 kg is attached to the end of a cord 1.50 m long.
The puck moves in a horizontal circle as shown in Figure 6.1. If the
cord can withstand a maximum tension of 50.0 N, what is the
maximum speed at which the puck can move before the cord breaks?
Assume the string remains horizontal during the motion.
! ! " !
ma =! P + N + T (1)
(1) / n ma n = T ( 2)
v2
T=m £ Tmax
R
R ! v£
RTmax
O ! N m
T RTmax
v max =
m
!
P (1.5m) ´ (50 N)
v max = = 12.2m / s
0.5kg
Example 6.3 What Is the Maximum Speed of the Car?
A 1 500-kg car moving on a flat, horizontal road negotiates a curve as
shown in Figure 6.4a. If the radius of the curve is 35.0 m and the
coefficient of static friction between the tires and dry pavement is 0.523,
find the maximum speed the car can have and still make the turn
successfully.
! ! " !
ma =! P + N + f s (1)
(1) / n ma n = f s (2)
f s £ f s. max
f s. max = µ s N = µ s mg
v2
m £ µ s mg
R
v £ µ s gR
v max = µ s gR
v max = 0.523 ´ (9.8m / s 2 ) ´ (35m)
= 13.4m / s
Example 6.4 The Banked Roadway
A civil engineer wishes to redesign the curved roadway in Example 6.3 in such a
way that a car will not have to rely on friction to round the curve without
skidding. In other words, a car moving at the designated speed can negotiate
the curve even when the road is covered with ice. Such a ramp is usually
banked, which means that the roadway is tilted toward the inside of the curve.
Suppose the designated speed for the ramp is to be 13.4 m/s (30.0 mi/h) and the
radius of the curve is 35.0 m. At what angle should
the curve be banked?
! ! "
ma = P + N (1)
(1) / vert
! .dir. 0 = - mg + N cos q
(1) / n ma n = N sin q ( 2)
v2
N sin q = m
R
N cos q = mg
v2
tan q =
Rg
æ v2 ö
q = arctanç ÷
ç Rg ÷
è ø
 æ v2 ö
q = arctançç ÷
÷
è Rg ø

Remark The banking angle θ depends on v and R, but not the mass
m; θ increases with increasing v, and decreases with increasing R.
* When the banking angle, speed, and radius satisfy tan θ = v2/Rg,
the car rounds the curve smoothly, with no tendency to slide either
inward or outward.
* If the car speed is greater than this amount, the road will exert a
frictional force down the incline. This force has an inward horizontal
component, which provides the additional centripetal force needed
to keep the car from moving outward (sliding up the incline).
* If the car speed is less than this amount, the road must exert
a frictional force up the incline to keep the car from moving inward
(sliding down the incline).
 6.2 Non-uniform Circular Motion
! !
at v !
! at ! ! ! dv ! v 2 !
at !
an ! a = at + an = t+ n
dt R
!
an v " ! !
ma = ma t + ma n
! ! ! !
O an F = Ft + Fn
 Example 6.6 Keep Your Eye on the Ball
A small sphere of mass m is attached to the end of a cord of length R and set
into motion in a vertical circle about a fixed point O as illustrated in Figure.
Determine the tangential acceleration of the sphere and the tension in the
cord at any instant when the speed of the sphere is v and the cord makes an
angle q with the vertical.

! ! !
ma = P + T (1)
v2
ma n = m = - mg cos q + T (2)
R
ma t = mg sin q (3)
v2 v2
a n = ; a t = g sin q; T = m + mg cos q
R R
2
o v bottom v 2bottom
q=0 an = ; a t = 0; T = m + mg
R R
2 2
v top v top
q = 180o an = ; a t = 0; T = m - mg
R R
6.3 Motion in Accelerated Frames
Example 6.7 Fictitious Forces in Linear Motion
A small sphere of mass m hangs by a cord from the ceiling of a boxcar
that is accelerating to the right as shown in Figure 6.12. Both the
inertial observer on the ground in Figure 6.12a and the non-inertial
observer on the train in Figure 6.12b agree that the cord makes an
angle ! with respect to the vertical. The non-inertial observer claims
that a force, which we know to be fictitious, causes the observed
deviation of the cord from the vertical. How is the magnitude of this
force related to the boxcar’s acceleration measured by the inertial
observer in Figure 6.12a?
 The car is Non-inertial
Ground is inertial Reference Frame Reference Frame
! ! ! !
ma M / ground = Freal _ net force !
! ! ! ma M! / car! = Fnet _ real + Finer.
a M / ground = a = a !
! ! ! car / ground 0 = P + T - ma
ma = P + T (1) (1) / x 0 = T sin q - ma
(1) / x ma = T sin q (1) / y 0 = - mg + T cos q
(1) / y 0 = - mg + T cos q T sin q = ma
T sin q = ma T cos q = mg
T cos q = mg a
a tan q =
tan q = g
g
6.4 Motion in the Presence of Resistive
Forces (Drag Force)
Model 1: Resistive Force Proportional to Object Velocity R=-bv
Model 2: Resistive Force Proportional to Object Speed Squared R=-bv2
Consider a small sphere of mass m released from rest in a liquid as in Figure ,
Assuming the only forces acting on the sphere are the resistive force R=-bv and the
gravitational force. Find v(t)
 ! ! !
ma = P + R
ma = mg - bv
dv
m = mg - bv
dt
mdv
= dt
mg - bv
v( t ) t
mdv
y ò mg - bv = ò dt
0 0
v
m
- ln (mg - bv ) = t
b 0
æ mg - bv ö bt
lnçç ÷÷ = -
è mg ø m
bt
bv -
1- =e m

The time constant t=m/b is the time at which the mg

bt
bv -
sphere released from rest at t = 0 reaches 63.2% = 1- e m
of its terminal speed; mg
bt
t = m/b mg -
t v= (1 - e m)
- b
v = v lim (1 - e t) mg
v lim =
t = t v = v lim (1 - e -1 ) = 63.2% v lim b
Find vlim and time constant t

! ! !
ma = P + R
ma = mg - bv
dv
m = mg - bv
dt
dv
v ® v lim = const; = 0 => mg - bv lim = 0
dt
mg
v lim =
b
dv bv
=g-
dt m
t = m/b
Find the terminal speed vlim if R=-bv2
! ! !
ma = P + R
ma = mg - bv 2
dv
m = mg - bv 2
dt
dv
v ® v lim = const; = 0 => mg - bv 2lim = 0
dt
mg
v lim =
b