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Name : Lecturer : Cheng Wui Leap

Subject : A Level Physics (A2) Class : A2 Physics
Chapter : 7 Motion in a Circle Lesson No : 1
Date : 11-6-2018
Topic : Kinematics of circular motion, Day/Time: 7.00pm – 9.00pm
centripetal acceleration & force

Definitions

 Angular displacement () – the angle in radian through which a point has been rotated about
centre of circle (rad).

 Angular velocity () – rate of change of angular displacement with time (rad s-1)

 Centripetal force – a force acting on a body causing it to move in a circular path.

Angle in radians

 When dealing with circles and circular motion, it is more convenient to measure angles and
angular displacements in units called radians rather than in degrees.

 All the formulas that you are going to study later

are based on radians.

 If an object moves a distance s around a circular

path of radius r, its angular displacement  in
radians is:
s

r

 One radian is the angle subtended at the centre of

a circle by an arc of length equal to the radius of
the circle.
s
  ;s  r
r
r
   1rad
r

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  Conversion of angle between degrees and radians

 If an object moves all the way around the circumference of a circle:

2r
  2rad * a complete circle contains 2 rad.
r

2rad  360
 We can also say that the object has moved through 360°. Therefore:
 rad  180

 To convert angles from degree to radian: angle(deg)

angle(rad)  x
180

 Whenever an angle is expressed in radian, DO NOT omit the unit rad!!

Example: 0.75 rad or 0.5 rad

PITFALL PREVENTION
Acceleration in physics is defined as a change in the velocity, NOT a change in the speed
(contrary to popular belief). In circular motion, the velocity vector is changing in direction, so
there is indeed an acceleration.

Angular velocity and speed

angular displacement 
 angular velocity =  =
time taken t

 If one circle is completed, angular displacement is 2, and time taken is T (period).
2
  2f
T

so,   2f

distance s
 speed  v
time taken t

since s  r;   t
r rt
v   r
t t

so, v  r

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Exercise

1. The radius of the Earth is 6400 km and it takes 24 hours to make a complete rotation
about its axis.
(a) What is the angular velocity of the Earth's rotation about its axis in rad s-1?

(b) What is the speed of a person standing on the equator as the Earth rotates?

2. [NOV07/4/la] (a) Explain

(i) what is meant by a radian [2]

(ii) why one complete revolution is equivalent to an angular displacement of 2 rad [1]

Centripetal acceleration and force

 Uniform circular motion is a case where the speed of a rotating/circulating object is constant.
In other word, at = 0. This is the case that we will study.

 In a uniform circular motion, speed is constant but velocity is NOT due to the changing
direction.

 Centripetal acceleration is produced by a change in direction, not SPEED!

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 Example of uniform circular motion: Earth orbiting the
Sun.

The gravitational pull of the Sun provides the centripetal

force that keeps the Earth in its orbit.

 Figure above shows a particle moving round a circle with a steady speed, v. Diagram (i) shows
how the velocity vector changes from v1 to v2 as the particle travels anti-clockwise.

 In time t, it will move through an angle  from A to B.

 Referring to Diagram (ii), if v1 and v2 are drawn from the same point, and third vector is drawn
to complete the vector diagram, this third vector will represent the velocity change, v = v2 –
v1.

(You should be able to realize that angle between vectors v1 and v2 is the same as the angular
displacement, )

 The change in velocity is directed towards centre of circle. In other words, centripetal
acceleration is towards centre of circle.

 If  is small, it can be said with good approximation that:

v  v (s = r)

v
a
t
v
so, a 
t
  
  
 t 
 a  v
v2
Using v = r, we get: a  2 r and a
r

v2
 Since F = ma  F  mv F  m2 r F
r

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 Centripetal force is not produced by circular motion. It is the force needed for circular motion.
Without it, the object would travel in a straight line.

 Take note that centripetal force is always inward.

Exercise

1. A man is at a position of latitude 60° N on the Earth. Find his

(a) angular velocity in radian per second

(b) linear speed

(c) acceleration due to the rotation of the Earth about its axis.
[1 day = 8.6 x 104 s, radius of the Earth = 6.4 x 106 m]

2. the centripetal acceleration of a sample which is at a distance of 5.0 cm from the axis of
rotation of a centrifuge rotating at a constant speed of 2000 revolutions per minute.

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3. [NOV08/4/1] A spherical planet has mass M and radius R. The planet may be assumed to
be isolated in space and to have its mass concentrated at its centre. The planet spins on its
axis with angular speed , as illustrated in Fig. 1.1.

A small object of mass m rests on the equator of the planet. The surface of the planet exerts
a normal reaction force on the mass.

(b)(ii) The radius of the planet is 6.4 x l06 m. It completes one revolution in 8.6 x l04 s.
Calculate the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration at

1. the equator, [2]

2. one of the poles. [1]

4. [JUN05/4/la] The orbit of the Earth, mass 6.0 x 1024 kg, may be assumed to be a circle of
radius 1.5 x 1011 m with the Sun at its centre, as illustrated in Fig. 1.1. The time taken for
one orbit is 3.2 x 107 s.

(a) Calculate

(i) the magnitude of the angular velocity of the Earth about the Sun, [2]

(ii) the magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the Earth. [2]

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 5. [NOV05/2/3] A stone on a string is made to travel along a horizontal circular path, as shown
in Fig. 3.1.

The stone has a constant speed.

(a) Define acceleration. [1]

(b) Use your definition to explain whether the stone is accelerating. [2]

Motion of a Cyclist Going Round a Curved Track

1. When a cyclist is going round a curved track, he is in circular motion. The centripetal
force is the lateral friction F between the tyres and the road.

2. The cyclist has to lean inwards in order to produce an anticlockwise moment to counter
the clockwise moment produced by the friction F about the centre of gravity G.
Clockwise moment about G = anticlockwise moment about G

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 3. If the cyclist leans through an angle 0 from the vertical,

The cyclist has to lean through a larger angle

• when his speed v increases

• if the radius of the curve track is smaller

Case study: A car turning round a banked track

v2
L sin   m ....(1)
r
L cos   mg....(2)
v2
(1)  (2) : tan  
rg

Case study: An airplane turning

Assume smooth track:

Fn cos   mg....(1)
v2
Fn sin   m ....(2)
r
v2
(2)  (1)  tan  
rg
Exercise

1. The figure shows a coin on a turn-table that is rotating at one revolution per
second. The coefficient of static friction between the coin and the turn-table is
0.50.

(a) Explain why the coin is able to move in a circle as the turntable
rotates.

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 (b) Calculate the maximum distance of the coin from the centre 0 of the turn-table for it
to move in a circle.

(c) The coin is placed at a distance of 5.0 cm from the centre of the circle. The speed of
rotation of the turn-table is increased. What is the speed of rotation of the turn-table, in
revolution per second, when the coin moves relative to the turn table?

2. [JUN08/4/1] (a) (i) Define the radian. [2]

(ii) A small mass is attached to a string. The

mass is rotating about a fixed point P at
constant speed, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Explain what is meant by the angular

speed about point P of the mass. [2]

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 (b) A horizontal flat plate is free to rotate about a vertical axis through its centre, as
shown in Fig. 1.2.

A small mass M is placed on the plate, a distance d from the axis of rotation.
The speed of rotation of the plate is gradually increased from zero until the mass is
seen to slide off the plate.
The maximum frictional force F between the plate and the mass is given by the
expression
F = 0.72W,
where W is the weight of the mass M.
The distance d is 35 cm.
Determine the maximum number of revolutions of the plate per minute for the mass
M to remain on the plate. Explain your working.

Notes:-

Motion in a Vertical Circle

1. Figure 5.6 shows a stone of mass m being whirled in a vertical circle with constant
angular velocity,  .

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 2. When the string makes an angle of 0 with the vertical, resultant force on the stone
towards the centre of the circle = T-mg cos 
Using F= ma
T- mg cos  = mr  2

Tension, T= mr  2 + mg cos 

3. The tension T in the string changes as the stone moves round the circle.
At the lowest point A (Figure 5.6),  = 0

tension T= mr  2 + mg (which is the maximum tension)

At the point B,  = 90°

tension T= mr  2 + mg cos 90°

= mr  2

At the highest point C,  = 180°, cos 180° = -1

tension T= mr  2- mg which is the least tension

4. For the stone to be able to make a complete vertical circle, the tension at C
T = mr  2 - mg  0

Exercise

1.

A particle is hung from point 0 with an inelastic string of length l. If the particle is projected from

point A with speed v perpendicular to the string, this will cause the particle to move in a vertical

circle and just manages to reach point B as shown in the figure above.

(a) Show that the speed of the particle at point B is gl .

(b) Find the actual speed of the particle at point A.

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2. [NOV07/4/lb] An elastic cord has an unextended length of 13.0 cm. One end of the cord is
attached to a fixed point C. A small mass of weight 5.0 N is hung from the free end of the
cord. The cord extends to a length of 14.8 cm, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

The cord and mass are now made to rotate at constant angular speed  in a vertical plane
about point C. When the cord is vertical and above C, its length is the unextended length of
13.0 cm, as shown in Fig. 1.2.

(i) Show that the angular speed w of the cord and mass is 8.7 rad s-1. [2]

(ii) The cord and mass rotate so that the cord is vertically below C, as shown in Fig.
1.3. Calculate the length L of the cord, assuming it obeys Hooke's law. [4]

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