SAMPLE PROBLEMS: 111-SET #6 UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION:

06-1

1) A 160 lb pilot in an aircraft moving at a constant speed of 500 ft/sec pulls out of a vertical dive along an arc of a circle of 4000 ft radius. For the pilot find the centripetal acceleration, the centripetal force. What is the pilot's 'apparent weight' at the bottom of the dive? Solution: We identify the problem as a UCM problem since the pilot (& plane) travels along a segment of a circle (small at the bottom of the dive) at constant speed. Hence, at the bottom most point a tang = 0. We are primarily interested in the pilot. Hence we draw all forces on the pilot. Here Fs on p represents the force of the 'seat on the pilot'. A CS is chosen with one axis pointing toward the center of the circle (in the figure 'x'). Since in UCM the net force acting points toward the center of the circle, and has a value m v2/r, we can write: Fx : Fs on p - m g = m v /r ;
2

cc

Fy : (no 'y' forces present)

FS on P

The centripetal acceleration is: ac = v2/r = (500)2/(4000) = 62.5 ft/sec2. The centripetal force is: m v2/r = (160/32)(62.5) = 312.5 lb . From the 'x' equation above we can now calculate Fs on p: Fs on p = Fnet + m g = 312.5 + 160 = 472.5 lb. What is meant by the pilot's 'apparent weight'? Let us assume the pilot will attempt to measure his own weight at the bottom of the dive. He can do this quite easily by sitting on a bathroom scale. In this case F s on p becomes the force of the 'scale on the pilot' = 472.5 lb. Now by the 3rd law there is an equal and opposite force 'pilot on scale'. It is this force which will be read by the scale. Hence, his 'apparent weight' is 472.5 lb. 2) What is the highest speed an automobile can have in travelling around a curve of radius 80 m on a level road if the coefficient of static friction between the tires and the road is 0.49 ? Solution: We have a UCM problem since the speed of the car is constant and the curve is a segment of a circle. We draw the figure in such a way that the center of the circle lies in the plane of the paper. We then draw all forces acting on the car. Note that the friction force is static, i.e., the tires do not slide sideways on the roadway. It is this force that keeps the car in the circular path. (What happens if the car hits a patch of ice?) The CS is chosen with one axis ('x') pointing toward the center of the circle. Applying Newton's 2nd Law we then have: Fx: f = m v2/r 06-2 y
CC

mg

fs mg

 Fy:

N - mg = 0.

We have a large number of 'unknowns' present here (f, v, m, N). We can use these equations to reduce the number of 'unknowns'. We write the 2nd ('y') equation as N = mg and divide the 1st by this. We find: fs /N = v2/(r g) . We now ask 'how is the frictional force related to the normal force'? In the static problem we have an inequality between f s and s N. However, we note that we are asked for the maximum speed possible. As the speed is increased, the right hand side of the above equation increases. Hence the left hand side must also increase. Since N is fixed (equals the weight of the car), the friction must increase. Thus, when the speed is a maximum, the frictional force must be a maximum. In this case we have: f max/N = s = 0.49 . Thus 0.49 = v2/(r g) v2 = (0.49)(r g) = (.49)(80)(9.8) vmax = 19.6 m/sec.

3) A 0.6 kg pendulum bob hangs by a cord from the roof of a moving can. If the van is traveling 20 m/sec around a curve of radius 300 m, find the angle which the cord makes with the vertical. What is the tension in the cord? We have a UCM problem. We draw the figure with the moving van travelling away from us. Assume the van is turning to the left, then the ball will make an angle to the right. The center of the circle is to the left. We assume that the radius of the circle the ball in travelling in is the same as the radius of the curve.
CC

The figure is drawn and a coordinate system is selected so that one axis (here 'x') points toward the center of the circle. The force conditions for the UCM problem are: Fx = m v2/r = T sin Fy = 0 = T cos - m g
x

mg

06-3

Moving the mg term to the other side of the equation, we divide the 2 equations and both T & m cancel out: T sin = tan = m v2/r = v2/rg T cos mg Since the speed 'v' and radius 'r' are given we have: tan = 202 /(300)(9.8) = 0..136 = 7.740 . Using the 'y' equation we then have: T = mg/cos 7.74 = (.6)(9.8)/0.991 = 5.93 N. 4) What is the proper speed for a car to go around a slippery curve of radius 60 m if the road is banked at an angle of 25o? Solution: We have a UCM problem. The figure is drawn and a coordinate system is selected so that one axis (here 'x') points toward the center of the circle. The force conditions for the UCM problem are: Fx = m v2/r = N sin Fy = 0 = N cos - m g x mg y

N
CC

Moving the mg term to the other side of the equation, we divide the 2 equations and both N & m cancel out: N sin = tan = m v2/r = v2/rg N cos mg Since the angle and radius 'r' are given we have: tan 250 = 0.466 = v2 /(60)(9.8) . Hence v2 = (.466)(60)(9.8) = 274.2 - v = 16.6 m/sec. 5) A fly of mass 0.5 g is sunning itself on a phonograph turntable at a location 6 cm from the center of the record. The turntable is turned on and rotates at 45 rev/min. Calculate the centripetal force needed to keep the fly from slipping off. What force provides this? Solution: We have a UCM problem since the speed is constant and the path is circular. The figure is drawn, the center of the circle is identified, the forces acting are drawn, and a CS is chosen with one axis (x') pointing toward the center of the circle. From the figure we see that the only 'real' force which points to toward the CC is friction (static). Hence this is the force which keeps the fly travelling in the circular path. We then have:

N fs

cc

mg 06-4

 Fx:

fs =

m v2/r ;

Fy:

N - mg = 0.

We note that 'v' is known. Since the radius of the circle r = 6 cm, and the fly will go around 45 times in a minute, we have: v = (45)(2 r)/(60) = 28.3 cm/sec = .283 m/sec . Thus: f s = (.5 x 10-3)(.283)2/(.06) = 6.67 x 10-4 N .

6) The hoop in the figure (radius .5 m) is spun at a constant rate. The bead shown can slide on the hoop without friction. If the angle that the radius to the bead makes with the vertical is 30o, then determine the number of revolutions per second that the hoop is rotated. r

R
cc

Solution: Care must be exercised in problem identification. If the hoop rotates at a constant rate, then the speed of the bead is a constant. The bead also travels in a circular path. However, the center of this circle is not the center of the hoop. We do have a UCM problem. We draw the bead & identify the center of the circle of its motion. We note that the radius of this circle is r = R sin 30 = (.5)(.5) = .25 m. The forces acting on the bead are drawn. Note that since the hoop is frictionless, there are only two forces acting on the bead: N 'normal' force of hoop on bead (points toward the center of the hoop), mg the bead's weight. A CS is chosen with one axis ('x') pointing toward the center of the circle. Newton's 2nd law then becomes: Fx: N sin 30 = m v2/r ; Fy: N cos 30 - m g = 0 . mg
y

N
x

If we immediately divide these equations, we will eliminate both N & m, and obtain: tan 30 = v2/rg = 0.577 . Now we can substitute for r: r = .25 m . This leaves us with one unknown, the bead's speed v. Thus: v2 = (.577)(.25)(9.8) = 1.413 v = 1.19 m/sec. To convert to 'revolutions/second' we note that the bead travels in a circle of circumference 2 r = 1.57 m. The time for one revolution (period) is T = 2 r/v = 1.57/1.19 = 1.32 sec. The frequency is the inverse of the period f = 1/T = .75 rev/sec .

06-5 7) A ball weighing 1 lb is attached to a string 2 feet long and is whirled in a vertical circle at a constant speed of 10 ft/sec. a) Determine the tension in the string when the ball is at the top of the circle; b) at the bottom. c) Consider the ball at some point other than the top or bottom. What can you say about the tension in the string at this point? Solution: We are told that the path is circular and that the speed is constant. Hence we have a UCM problem. We first draw the ball at the top of the circle, choose a CS with 'x' pointing toward the center of the circle, and we draw in all real forces acting. We have: Fx : Tt + m g = m v2/r . Hence: Tt = m v /r - mg = (1/32)(10) /1 - 1 = 2.125 lb.
2 2

mg x

For the bottom position we again draw the forces, and choose a CS with 'x' drawn toward the center of the circle. Here we have: Fx : Tb - m g = m v2/r . Hence: Tb = (1/32)(10)2/1 + 1 = 4.125 lb Tb mg

Consider now the ball at some other point on the circle (call it point 'c'). We note that for UCM to hold, the string can no longer point toward the center of the circle (in UCM it is Fnet which always points toward the center of the circle. Choosing a CS with 'x' toward the center of the circle we then have: Fx : Tc cos + mg cos = m v2/r Fy : Tc sin - mg sin = 0

Tc mg y x

We can pick the particular point by identifying the angle . For example, let = 30o. The equations become: T cos = (1/32)(100)/1 - (1)(.866) = 2.259 ; T sin = (1)(.5)

Dividing the 2nd by the first gives: tan = .22

= 12.5o . 06-6

Substituting back, then gives T: T = (.5)/(.2161) = 2.314 lb . What this problem illustrates is that it is possible to whirl a ball on a string in a vertical circle, but only if you move your hand (from the center of the circle) as the ball moves. Your hand must always be situated such that a component of the tension cancels the weight of the ball, and such that the component of the tension directed toward the center of the circle is always 3.125 lb.