Chapter 6

Circular Motion
and
Other Applications of Newton’s
Laws
Uniform Circular Motion
 Uniform circular motion occurs when an object
moves in a circular path with a constant speed
 The associated analysis motion is a particle in
uniform circular motion
 An acceleration exists since the direction of the
motion is changing
 This change in velocity is related to an acceleration
 The velocity vector is always tangent to the path of
the object
Changing Velocity in Uniform
Circular Motion

 The change in the

velocity vector is due to
the change in direction

 The vector diagram

shows vf  v i  v
Centripetal Acceleration
 The acceleration is always perpendicular to
the path of the motion
 The acceleration always points toward the
center of the circle of motion
 This acceleration is called the centripetal
acceleration
Centripetal Acceleration, cont
 The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration vector
is given by
v2
aC 
r
 The direction of the centripetal acceleration vector is
always changing, to stay directed toward the center
of the circle of motion
Period
 The period, T, is the time required for one
complete revolution
 The speed of the particle would be the
circumference of the circle of motion divided
by the period
 Therefore, the period is defined as
2 r
T
v
Tangential Acceleration
 The magnitude of the velocity could also be changing
 In this case, there would be a tangential acceleration
 The motion would be under the influence of both
tangential and centripetal accelerations
 Note the changing acceleration vectors
Total Acceleration
 The tangential acceleration causes the
change in the speed of the particle
 The radial acceleration comes from a change
in the direction of the velocity vector
Total Acceleration, equations
dv
 The tangential acceleration: at 
dt
v2
 The radial acceleration: ar  aC  
r
 The total acceleration:

 Magnitude a  a a2
r
2
t

 Direction
 Same as velocity vector if v is increasing, opposite if v is
decreasing
Uniform Circular Motion, Force
 A force, Fr , is
associated with the
centripetal acceleration
 The force is also
directed toward the
center of the circle
 Applying Newton’s
Second Law along the
radial direction gives
v2
 F  mac  m r
Uniform Circular Motion, cont

 A force causing a centripetal

acceleration acts toward the
center of the circle
 It causes a change in the
direction of the velocity vector
 If the force vanishes, the
object would move in a
straight-line path tangent to
the circle
 See various release points in
the active figure
Motion in a Horizontal Circle
 The speed at which the object moves
depends on the mass of the object and the
tension in the cord
 The centripetal force is supplied by the
tension
Tr
v
m
Conical Pendulum
 The object is in
equilibrium in the
vertical direction and
undergoes uniform
circular motion in the
horizontal direction
 ∑Fy = 0 → T cos θ = mg
 ∑Fx = T sin θ = m ac
 v is independent of m
v  Lg sin tan
Horizontal (Flat) Curve
 The force of static friction
supplies the centripetal
force
 The maximum speed at
which the car can negotiate
the curve is
v  s gr
 Note, this does not depend
on the mass of the car
Banked Curve

 These are designed with

friction equaling zero
 There is a component of
the normal force that
supplies the centripetal
force
v2
tan  
rg
Banked Curve, 2
 The banking angle is independent of the
mass of the vehicle
 If the car rounds the curve at less than the
design speed, friction is necessary to keep it
from sliding down the bank
 If the car rounds the curve at more than the
design speed, friction is necessary to keep it
from sliding up the bank
Loop-the-Loop
 This is an example of a
vertical circle
 At the bottom of the
loop (b), the upward
force (the normal)
experienced by the
object is greater than
its weight
mv 2
 F  nbot  mg  r
 v2 
nbot  mg  1  
 rg 
Loop-the-Loop, Part 2
 At the top of the circle
(c), the force exerted
on the object is less
than its weight
mv 2
 F  ntop  mg  r
v2 
ntop  mg   1
 rg 
Non-Uniform Circular Motion
 The acceleration and
force have tangential
components
 Fr produces the
centripetal
acceleration
 Ft produces the
tangential
acceleration

F  Fr  Ft
Vertical Circle with Non-
Uniform Speed
 The gravitational force
exerts a tangential
force on the object
 Look at the components
of Fg
 The tension at any
point can be found
 v2 
T  mg   cos 
 Rg 
Top and Bottom of Circle
 The tension at the bottom is a maximum
 v bot
2

T  mg   1
 Rg 
 The tension at the top is a minimum
 v top
2

T  mg   1
 Rg 
 

 If Ttop = 0, then v top  gR