CIRCULAR

MOTION
 Circular Motion
CIRCULAR MOTION is a movement of
an object along the circumference of
a circle or rotation along a circular path.
It can be uniform, with constant
angular rate of rotation (and constant
speed), or non-uniform with a changing
rate of rotation.

16
 Dynamics of Circular Motion
Period and Frequency
Period (T) is the time required for a body moving
in a circular path to make one complete cycle or
revolution. The unit for the period is second (s).

Frequency (f), is the number of cycles or

revolutions per second. The unit of frequency is 1/s
or hertz(Hz)
f= 1 T= 1
T f
 A pendulum completes 32
cycles in 16 seconds. What
is the frequency? What is
the period?
T =16/32 = 0.5 s
F = 1/0.5= 2 hz
• If a ball takes 20
seconds to make 5
full revolutions,
find its period and
frequency.
T =20/5 = 4 s
F = 1/4 = 0.25
• A toy train completes
10 revolution of its
circular track in 1 min
40s. Find its period
(T), and frequency
(f).
 Uniform Circular motion
FN
FT v
r
m

mg
mw

Uniform Circular Motion is the motion of a

body in a circle at a constant speed.
The constant speed can be calculated by
dividing the distance it covers by the time.

V= d
t
Since C= 2πr and T=t

V= 2πr or V= 2πrf
T
 SAMPLE PROBLEMS
1. A ball tied at the end of a
string is whirled from point A
and makes 6 revolutions in 2
seconds. Calculate its period
and frequency.
2. A little girl is playing with her foot
jump. The ball in her foot jump is in
uniform motion that gains a period of
0.2 sec.
A. find its frequency
B. if the radius of plastic cord that holds
is 1.5 m, what is its speed?
3. An object is whirled with a
radius of 2.5 m. It makes 2
revolutions in 1 sec. Find its
speed.
 Exercise No. 3
1. Suppose a rear wheel makes 5 rev in one
minute. Find the frequency and period.

2. A stone tied to the end of a string is swung in a

horizontal circle. If the string has length of 150
cm, and the stopper revolves at a constant
speed of 9 revolution in 15 seconds,
a. find the frequency of the revolution
b. find speed of the stopper
3. A ball is whirled with a radius of
1.75 m. It makes 3 revolutions in 1
sec. Find its speed.
4.  A swinging ball completes 12 cycles
in 10 seconds. What is the
frequency? What is the period?
5. A steel ball tied at the end of a
string is whirled and makes 4
revolutions in 2.5 seconds. Calculate
its period and frequency. Then find
the speed of the steel ball if the
radius is 2 m?
 Centripetal Acceleration
It is also called as central acceleration
(ac).
This is the reason why objects moved in a
curved path.
The acceleration is directed along a radius
of the circular path, toward its center.
ac= v2
r
 EQUATIONS
2πr 2

a c= T
r
ac= 4π r
2

T 2
a = 4π rf
2 2
 Centripetal Force
It is the unbalanced force which is
directed toward the center of circular
path that gives the object the central
acceleration.

Fc= ma c
FC

Fc= mv2
r V
 Centripetal Acceleration

The equation for the

centripetal force may be
determined by using Newton’s
Second law of Motion.

F = ma
 Centrifugal force
It is the opposite and reaction force
exerted by the revolving object
against this central force.
 Sample Problem
An object with mass of 0.25 kg is
whirled in a horizontal circle with a
radius of 1.5 m. It makes 2
revolutions in 1 second, find the
following:
a.) constant linear speed
b.) centripetal acceleration
c.) centripetal force
A 150 g object tied at the end of 0.6
m long is whirled uniformly. It makes
10 revolutions in 2 seconds. Find :’
a.) period
b.) linear velocity
c.) centripetal acceleration
d.) centripetal force
Kinematics of Circular Motion
Angular displacement

Angular Velocity

Angular Acceleration
 Angular Displacement
It is the position of a point on a rotating
body.
Angular displacement is the angle,
represented by the Greek letter theta 0.
It expresses under the unit of radian.
It said to be perpendicular to the plane
motion.
Counterclockwise(+)
Clockwise (-)
 Reference line

= s
s

r
0

s =r
1 revolution=3600 =2 π radian
6.28 rad
Coversion:
580 to rad
6 ¾ rad to rev
2500 rev/min to rad/s
125 rev to degree
 Angular velocity
It measures how fast it is turning about
an axis.
Denoted by Greek letter omega

Angular velocity= angular displacement

time taken
 Angular Acceleration
The time rate of change of its
angular velocity.

change of angular velocity

time taken
 Sample problem
A boy rides on a merry-go-round at a
distance of 1.25 m from the center.
If the boy moves through an arc
length of 2.25 m, what angular
displacement does he move?
A compass draws a circle on a piece of
paper 0.30 m in circumference. What
was the radius or distance of the
needle to the pen of the compass
when the circle was drawnn if the
displacement is 12 rad? What is the
diameter of the circle drawn?
 A child in a barber shop spins on a
stool. If the child turns
counterclockwise through 8.0 rad
during an 8.0 sec interval, what is
the average angular velocity?
 A figure skater begins spinning
counterclockwise at an angular speed
of 5.0 rad/s. She slowly pulls the
arms inward and finally spins at 9
rad/s for 3 sec. What is the angular
acceleration during this time
interval?
A fish swimming behind a luxury cruise
liner gets caught in a whirlpool
created by the ship’s propeller. IF
the fish has an angular velocity of
1.5 rad/s and the water in the
whirlpool accelerates at 3.5 rad/s2,
what will be the angular velocity of
the fish at the end of 4.0 sec?