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Investigating Circular Motion

The document outlines an experimental test to investigate centripetal force and acceleration using a mass swung in a circle. It details the theory behind centripetal motion, the apparatus needed, and the procedure for conducting the experiment. Additionally, it includes sections for data collection and calculations related to uncertainties and the relationship between mass, radius, and angular velocity.

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Stuart Gregory
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5 views5 pages

Investigating Circular Motion

The document outlines an experimental test to investigate centripetal force and acceleration using a mass swung in a circle. It details the theory behind centripetal motion, the apparatus needed, and the procedure for conducting the experiment. Additionally, it includes sections for data collection and calculations related to uncertainties and the relationship between mass, radius, and angular velocity.

Uploaded by

Stuart Gregory
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name

Date

2
mv
Experimental Test for F=
r

Theory

Any object moving at a steady rate in a circle requires an acceleration and hence a force to be acting on it. These are
called the centripetal acceleration and centripetal force and are found from the equations

2 2
2 v 2 v
a=ω r = F=mω r =m
r r
Where m is the mass of the object, r is the radius of the circle, v is the magnitude of the velocitiy and ω is the
angular speed.

Angular speed is related to the time period of one rotation T by

2π
ω=
T
Consider a mass m being swung around in a horizontal circle at the end of a piece of string. The tension in the string
provides the centripetal force, but there must be an equal force to this at the other end of the string to balance the
force. This can be provided by running the string down through a frictionless vertical tube and attaching it to a
weight.

If the radius of the circle and the rate of rotation are constant then the weight must exactly provide the required
centripetal force, i.e.
2
Mg=m ω r

Note: The masses are different on each side of the equation. m is the mass of the object moving in the circle, M is
the mass at the end of the length of string.
Apparatus

1 Rubber bung

2 String

3 Plastic tube

4 10g slotted masses and hangar

5 Crocodile clip

6 Stop clock

7 Metre rule

Procedure

1) Hold the glass tube making sure that there is nobody too near and whirl the bung around your head, keeping
the indicator just below the glass tube. Get your partner to measure the time for 50 complete orbits. This is
best done by counting “3,2,1,0,1,2,3… …49,50” with the timer starting at zero.
2) Repeat step 1 with your partner doing the whirling and you doing the timing. Average both results and work
out the orbital period, T in seconds.
3) Measure the radius r of the orbit and calculate the orbital speed v of the bung.

Data

r =¿

Mass Time Period Angular Orbital Speed


Velocity
Calculations

1. What is the absolute uncertainty in the measurement of the radius?

2. What is the percentage uncertainty in the measurement of the radius?

3. What is the percentage uncertainty in the measurement of the time-period when the mass is 100g. How
could this be decreased?

4. Draw an arrow labelled F on the diagram to indicate the direction of the resultant force acting on the bung
as it moves in a circle.

5. Explain how the speed of the bung remains constant even though there is a resultant force acting on the
bung.

6. Explain how this experiment can be used to determine the mass of the bung.

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