Chapter 6: CIRCULAR MOTION

6.0 : Introduction
Circular motion/ rotational motion :
When bodies rotate around something or move in a circular path, its motion is
considered as a circular motion.

Examples:
CD players, hands on a clock, earth going around the sun, wheels on cars, merry go
round.

Circular motion

Uniform Non-uniform

6.1 : Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform circular motion is the motion of an object in a circle with a constant or
uniform speed.

When an object is moving with uniform circular motion:

 It is moving at constant speed in a circle.
 The magnitude of its velocity remains constant
 The directions of its velocity changes continually

Motion Characteristics For Circular Motion:

i) Angular Displacement () :-
The angle rotated by the radius from some reference point.

When discussing the motion of objects which are moving in circular path, the
displacement is described in angle measured in radians or degrees.

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 s

When an object moves from point A to point B in a circular path of radius r, the
angle  is defined as the ratio of the arc length s to the radius.

s
=> θ
r

where s = linear distance moved

r = radius of the circle
 If s = r the angle is 1 rad and if s is equal to the full circumference of the circle,
the angle is 2 rad. ( 360  = 2 rad. )
 The relation between the ( linear) distance moved, s, of the body and the angular
displacement, is given by :

 s = r

ii) Linear & Angular Velocity:

An object moving in uniform circular motion would cover the same linear
distance (s) in each second of time, therefore the linear speed, v, of the body is
given by:

v=s/t
The angular velocity of a body is the number of radians turned through per
second and defined as :

θ
=> ω
t

Units : rad s-1

 The angular velocity is linked to the linear speed as:

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 From s = r and v = s/t
Hence v = r/t
Since v = r( /t)
=>
v = r

 The direction of the linear velocity is directed along the tangent to the circular
path, while the direction of the angular velocity is depending on the rotation of
the object( clockwise or anti clockwise )

v v


iii) Period and frequency of rotation:

 The period of rotation ( T ) is, the time taken to complete a circle and is equal
to:
2 r
=> T 
v

2πr
or T
rω

2π
T
ω

 Frequency ( f ) of rotation is the number of rotations completes in a second,

and is equal to :
1 ω
f 
T
or f 
2π

 Units : Hertz (Hz)- defined as one rotation per second.

Examples:

1. An object travels around the circumference of a circle of radius 6 m at a rate of 30

rev min-1. Find :

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 a) its angular speed in rads-1,
b) its linear speed around the circle

Solution:
One revolution = 2 rad
a) Angular speed: 2 x 30 = 60  rad/ min
= 60  rad/60s
=  rad s-1
b) Using: v = r
= 6x
= 6  ms-1 or 18.85 ms-1.

2. A particle is moving on a circular path of radius 0.5m at a constant speed of 10

ms-1. Find the time taken to complete 20 revolutions.

Solution:
Using: v = r
10 = 0.5 
 = 20 rad s-1

Since 20 revolutions = 20 x 2
= 40  rad

Using  = t
40  rad = 20 t
t = 2 = 6.28s

6.2 : Centripetal Acceleration & Tangential Acceleration

Centripetal acceleration:

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 Object moving in uniform circular motion will have a constant speed but the
direction of velocity keep changing; therefore, the velocity is not constant. Its
direction at any instant is the direction of tangent line drawn to the circle at the
object’s location. Therefore, the object does accelerate as it goes in circular path.

 The direction of the instantaneous acceleration at each point is always along a

radius of the circle, towards its center (towards the inside of the circle) and
perpendicular to the instantaneous velocity.

ac

ac

 The acceleration is directed towards the center of the circle. Thus the acceleration
of this type is called as “ centripetal acceleration ” ( center pointing )

 The equation which describes the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration is :

a v
c where ac = centripetal acceleration
r
v = speed of the object
r = radius of the path.

 It also can be expressed in terms of the angular speed  by using v = r :

ac = (r )2/r

ac = r2

 If the speed ( v ) is replaced with 2r/T :

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 4 π2 r
a 2
T
Examples :

1. A car traveling at 20 m/s makes a turn of radius 75 meters. What is the centripetal
acceleration of the car?

Solution :

Using ac = v2/r
= (20) 2 / 75
= 5.33 ms-1

2. A car is moving around a circular track of radius 1000 m with a constant speed.
The car makes a complete revolution of the track every 20 min. Find its speed and
acceleration.

Solution :
Speed is constant, v = s/t
=2r/T
= ( 2 x  x 103 ) / (1.2 x 103 s )
= 5.23 m/s

Acceleration is centripetal acceleration:

a c = v2 / r
= ( 5.23 )2 / 103
= 2.74 x 10-2 m / s2

Tangential Acceleration :

When an object changes speed as it moves around the circle, it produces a tangential
acceleration.

For this case, the tangential speed is changing, the motion is called “non uniform
circular motion “.

In non uniform circular motion both the direction and magnitude of the tangential
velocity are changing, therefore; it has two components of acceleration:-
i) Centripetal acceleration ac = v2/r or 2r ---toward the center.
ii) Tangential acceleration, at = r where  is an angular acceleration..--- in the
direction of motion.
Note: ac and at are perpendicular to each other.

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The total acceleration is given by the vector sum of centripetal and tangential
components :

a = ac + at

at = dv / dt , ac = v2 /r

Examples:

1. A car is driven around a circular track of radius 1000 m with a speed that varies
with time according to the equation: v = ( -0.30 t 2 + 2.0 t + 10 ) m/s. What are its
speed and tangential acceleration at t = 0 s and t = 5 s?

Solution :

at = dv/dt = d (-0.30 t2 + 2.0 t + 10 ) / dt

= ( -0.60 t + 2.0 ) m/s2

When t = 0;
v(0) = ( -0.30 (0)2 + (2.0 x 0 ) + 10 )
= 10. 0 m/s

at (0) = ( - 0.60 x 02 ) + 2.0

= 2.0 m/s2
When t = 5 s ;
v (5) = ( -0.30 (5)2 + (2.0 x 5 ) + 10 )
= 12. 5 m/s

at (5) = ( - 0.60 x 52 ) + 2.0

= - 1.00 m/s2

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6.3 : Circular Motion – Centripetal Force.

According to Newton’s First Law an object will travel in a straight line at constant
speed unless acted upon by an outside force. Clearly an object moving in circular path
must have an outside force acting on it to produce the non linear motion. The force is
directed inwards towards the center of the circle. This inwards acting force is called “
centripetal force “.

 A force is required to keep an object moving in a circle.

 Since a force that is directed inwards towards the center of the circle is required to
keep an object traveling in a circular path, this force must be accelerating the
object. The direction of the acceleration must be in the same direction as the force
acting on the object ( which is inward ) due to Newton’s Second Law .

 The centripetal force depends on :

i) The objects’ mass
ii) The objects’ speed

Equation : Fc = mac

F  mv
c
r
or Fc = mr2

Definition of centripetal force: “ The net force required to keep an object of mass m,
moving at a speed v, on a circular path of radius r. “

 The centripetal force also never does work on the object since its direction always
perpendicular to the object velocity.

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 The centripetal force may be due to a single force or to a combination of several
forces.

* The centripetal force maintains the object’s circular motion and can be caused
by tension in a string, friction on car’s tires, the normal force gravitation.

A: Circular motion in horizontal plane :

i) Ball at the end of the string revolving in a horizontal circle with steady
speed.

Two forces acting on the ball:

i) the force of gravity ( weight – mg )
ii) the tension force on the string ( T )

mg
Applying Newton Second Law to the radial direction :
 Fc = mac
Tension on the string is the only component in the radial direction that provide the
centripetal force;

 T = mac
= mv2 / r

Example:

1. A mass of 2.0 kg is attached to a string and whirled in a horizontal circle of

radius 0.80 m. The breaking strain of the string is 250 N. What is the
maximum speed at which the mass can rotate before the string break?

Solution:
Using Fc = mac

T = mv2 / r

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 250 = 2.0 x (v)2 / 0.80

v2 = 100

v = 10.0 m/s

ii) Conical pendulum :

A free body diagram of the mass on the end of the pendulum :

T cos 

 
T sin 

mg mg

T sin  is the unbalanced central forces. It is supplying the centripetal force

necessary to keep the block moving as a conical pendulum.
=> T sin  = Fc = mac = mv2/r

Problem solving :

1) Consider a conical pendulum with a 80 kg bob on a 10 m wire making an angle of

= 5o with the vertical. Determine:
(a) the horizontal and vertical component of the force exerted by the wire on
the pendulum and
(b) the centripetal acceleration of the bob.

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(a) A free-body diagram of the bob is shown.

The bob does not change its vertical position, y = constant, v y = ay = 0. The
vertical component of T must have magnitude mg.

 Tcos(5o) = mg,
T = (80kg x 9.8m/s2 ) / cos(5o) = 787N
The magnitude of horizontal component of T
 Tsin(5o) = 68.6N.
The horizontal component of the force points towards
the center of the circle.

(b) The horizontal component of T provides the centripetal (radial)

acceleration ac.

Tsin(5o) = mac,
ac = 68.6N/80kg
= 0.857m/s2.
The speed of the bob is found from ac = v2/r,
Since r = 10m x sin (5o), we have v = 0.86m/s.

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 2. A pendulum bob of mass 1 kg is attached to a string 1 m long and made to
revolve in a horizontal circle of the radius 60 cm. Find the period of the
motion and the tension of the string.

Solution :

1m

R = 0.6 m

1 kg

T cos  = mv2/r
= mv2 / 0.6 ………………………(i)

T sin  = mg ………………………….(ii)

Cos  = 0.6/1.0 ; hence sin  = 4/5

From (ii) T = mg/ sin  = ( 1 x 9.8 ) / ( 4/5 )

= 12.25 N

From (i) v = (o.6 x T cos / m )1/2

v = 2.1 m/s

 angular velocity,  = v/r = 2.1 / 0.6

= 7/2 rad/s
 period, T = 2 /  = 4 /7 second
T = 1.8 second.
iii) Car rounding a curve
A car of mass m rounds a curve at a constant speed as shown below. The curve
has a radius of curvature of R. (In other words, the curve is a piece of a circle of
radius R.) If the coefficient of static friction between the road and the tires is,,
what is the maximum speed the car can travel around the curve without
slipping?

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 The free-body diagram of the car is as below :

In the vertical direction we find

In the horizontal direction

f = mac
But we know that, (for maximum static friction),
F = s N

.
In order for the car move in a circle, we use the centripetal acceleration formula.

So putting it all together gives

or, that the maximum velocity without slipping on the road is

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* The max velocity is reduced when the friction coefficient is reduced and the velocity is
also reduced when the radius of the curve is reduced (making it a tighter turn).

Problem solving :

A car turns a corner on a road of radius 50.0 m. If the coefficient of static friction
s = 0.90, what is the maximum speed the car can negotiate the turn without
sliding ?

mg

N – mg = 0
f = mac
f = sN = smg
= mac
= mv2/r

 v =  ( sgr )
= ( .9 x 9.8 x 50 ) 1/2
= 21.0 m/s

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 B: Circular Motion In Vertical Planes :

i) Uniform circular motion vertically with steady speed.

Example : riding on a Ferris Wheel at constant speed .

mg

mg
The forces acting on the riders are :
i) Normal forces ( N )
ii) Weight ( mg )

At the top :

F(top ) = mg – N = mac = mv2/r ….direction downward

N = mg – mv2/r
If the speed is so large that the rider feels like leaving the seat, that means the
normal force is approaching zero.
 0 = mg - mv2/r
mg = mv2/r
g = v2/r
vmax = ( g/r )1/2

* If r is known, the maximum speed can be determined.

At the bottom of the trajectory,

F bottom = N – mg = mac = mv2/r …….direction upward
N = mv2/r + mg ( greater normal force - feels
heavier )

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 iii) Vertical Circles and Non Uniform Circular Motion :
The speed as well as the direction of the object is constantly changing.

Example : A block is being whirled on the end of a string in a vertical

circle:

Free body diagrams :

At the top of the circle At the bottom of the circle

Centripetal force :

a) At the top of the circle - T and mg are directed downward.

 Fc = T + mg = mv2/r

T = mv2/r – mg

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 If the block is just be able to pass through the top circle without the rope
sagging, there is a critical or minimum speed to be maintained.

To determine the critical/ min. speed :

Let T equal to zero.

 0 = mv2/r – mg

v2/r = g

v mi n = ( rg )

b) At the bottom

T and mg point in opposite directions.

 Fc = T – mg = mv2/r

T = mv2/r + mg ( tension in the string is the highest )

c) At intermediate position

To calculate the tension at any point in a pendulum's swing, then the net force to the
center would equal

net Fc = T - mg cos 

mv2intermediate / r = T - mg cos intermediate

T =( mv2intermediate / r ) + mg cos  intermediate

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Also remember that net Fc = mv2/r. In order to solve for tension, the conservation of
energy techniques is used to solve for the velocity at the requested intermediate position.

GPEside = GPE + KEintermediate position = KEbottom

For vertical circles, if you take the bottom of the circle as the zero-reference position,

 GPEtop + KEtop=  GPEbottom + KEbottom

mg(2R) + ½mvtop² = 0 + ½mvbottom²

In the special case where vtop equals the critical velocity, v = Rg , then

mg(2R) + ½m( Rg )² = 0 + ½mvbottom²

2gR + ½Rg = ½vbottom²
vbottom= 5Rg

* Conservation of energy methods are the easiest way to determine an object's

speed at any point along a vertical circle so that tensions can then be calculated.

ii) Now, consider an example of a person riding a roller coaster through a circular
section of the track, a "loop-the-loop." What are the formulas to calculate the normal
force, N exerted on a object traveling on the inside surface of a vertical circle as it passes
through the bottom? When it passes through the top?

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 At the top :

N + mg = m ( v² / r )
N = m ( v² / r ) – mg

At the bottom :

N - mg = m ( v² / r )
N = m ( v² / r ) + mg

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