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Physics-Module-1-Circular-Motion

This document covers the fundamentals of circular motion, including angular speed, angular acceleration, and their relationships to linear motion. It explains how to calculate arc length, tangential speed, and centripetal acceleration and force, emphasizing the importance of using radians for angular measurements. Additionally, it discusses the concepts of centripetal and centrifugal forces in the context of objects in circular motion.

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Zulhilmi Hamdi
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2 views

Physics-Module-1-Circular-Motion

This document covers the fundamentals of circular motion, including angular speed, angular acceleration, and their relationships to linear motion. It explains how to calculate arc length, tangential speed, and centripetal acceleration and force, emphasizing the importance of using radians for angular measurements. Additionally, it discusses the concepts of centripetal and centrifugal forces in the context of objects in circular motion.

Uploaded by

Zulhilmi Hamdi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Physics for Engineers (PH 121E)

Module 1
Circular Motion

A. Angular Speed and Angular Acceleration

1. Arc length (length of the arc) of a rotating or revolving object is


analogous to linear displacement:
a. Arc length (s) is swept out as an object rotates θ degrees such that

s = θr

θ = angle of rotation [Very important!!!: θ should be in radians


(not degrees) during calculating]
r = radius [in meter (m)]

i) s is measured in the same units as r [i.e., a length such as meter


(m)]
ii) θ is measured in radians (not degrees) during calculating

1 revolution (rev) = 2π radians (rad) = 360◦

or
360◦
1 rad ≡ ≈ 57.3◦.
2π
Example:
A wheel with a radius of 4.1 meters rotates at a constant velocity. How far
(path length) does a point on the circumference travel if the wheel is rotated
through angles of 30◦, 30 rad, and 30 rev?

Let r be the radius of the wheel, s be the path length along the
circumference, and θ be the angle that this point subtends from a
reference point as the wheel rotates.
I. Given:
r = 4.1 m
θ 1 = 30◦
θ 2 = 30 rad
θ 3 = 30 rev
II. Find:
a. s1 = ?
b. s2 = ?
c. s3 = ?
III. Solution:
We use
s = θr
except that all of these angles must be expressed in radians, so
θ ◦ π rad = 0.5236 rad
1= 3 0 ×
180◦

θ 2 = 30 rad (which is what we want)


2π rad
θ 3 = 30 rev
× = 188.5 rad
1 rev
Plugging these values of θ into the equation above, gives

s1 = θ 1 r = 0.5236 (4.1 m) = 2.1 m

s2 = θ 2 r = 30 (4.1 m) = 120 m

s3 = θ 3 r = 188.5 (4.1 m) = 770 m

2. Angular speed [omega (ω)] = the change of angular displacement (∆θ)


divided by the time interval (∆t) that the angular displacement took place.
Average angular speed (ω):
∆

3. Angular acceleration [alpha (α)] = the change of angular speed (∆ω) over
the time interval of interest (∆t):
change in angular speed ω2 — ω1 ∆ω
α≡ = =
time interval t2 — t1 ∆t

which is the average angular acceleration


B. Rotation Motion under Constant Angular Acceleration.

1. These are analogous to their counterparts in linear motion.

LINEAR ANGULAR

v = v◦ + at ω = ω◦ + αt

1 2
x = v◦ t + at
2

v2 = v2 + 2ax
◦

Note: In the above equations, the initial times, angles, and


displacements are all set to zero. If these initial settings are not zero,
replace t with ∆t, θ with ∆θ, and x with ∆x.

2. Tangential speed (vt) (of a point on a rotating object) = the distance of


that point from the axis of rotation (r) multiplied by the angular speed (ω):

vt = r ω

where vt is the “tangential” velocity tangent to the curved path of


motion the particle is taking
3. Tangential acceleration (at) (of a point on a rotating object) = the distance
of that point from the axis of rotation (r) multiplied by the angular
acceleration (α):

a t = rα

C. Centripetal Acceleration and Force

1. If an object travels at constant speed in a curved path, it is accelerating


since the velocity vector is continuously changing direction.

2. Besides, the tangential acceleration (i.e., acceleration tangent to the


curved path), there must be an acceleration perpendicular (⊥) to the
tangent line pointing toward the center of the curved path.
a) Otherwise, the object would fly off in a straight path in the
direction of a t as per Newton’s 1st law of motion.

b) This center-seeking acceleration is called the centripetal


acceleration (ac )
i) Gravity is a centripetal force for planets orbiting the Sun. Hence,
each planet has a sunward-pointing centripetal acceleration
associated with it.

ii) A string’s tension is a centripetal force (hence acceleration) for


an object attached to that string being rotated in circular motion.

rock

c) The total acceleration of an object in circular motion is


3. Centripetal force (Fc ) = “center-seeking” forces equal to the mass
times the centripetal acceleration:

a) Centripetal forces are “center-seeking” forces


i) The gravitational force is a center-seeking force
=⇒ planets are in orbit around the Sun

ii) The tension force is a centripetal force for an object connected


to a string being swung about some axis.

b) Centrifugal force = an apparent force that forces an object


outward while moving in a circular path.
It is not really a force =⇒ this tendency to follow a straight line
path away from a curved path is nothing more than Newton’s 1st
law — the Law of Inertia.

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