Circular motion Definition and 1000 Threads

In physics, 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. The rotation around a fixed axis of a three-dimensional body involves circular motion of its parts. The equations of motion describe the movement of the center of mass of a body. In circular motion, the distance between the body and a fixed point on the surface remains the same.
Examples of circular motion include: an artificial satellite orbiting the Earth at a constant height, a ceiling fan's blades rotating around a hub, a stone which is tied to a rope and is being swung in circles, a car turning through a curve in a race track, an electron moving perpendicular to a uniform magnetic field, and a gear turning inside a mechanism.
Since the object's velocity vector is constantly changing direction, the moving object is undergoing acceleration by a centripetal force in the direction of the center of rotation. Without this acceleration, the object would move in a straight line, according to Newton's laws of motion.

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  1. Muhammad Uthman

    Flywheel -- Why does it reverse direction after spinning to a stop?

    Why does fly wheel return in opposite motion after it comes to rest due to friction?
  2. cseil

    Uniform circular motion for proton and 2 particles

    [Note by mentor: This thread does not use the homework template because it was moved here from a non-homework forum.] Hello, I have a problem with this exercise. I don't know if my solution is right! Could you check it, please? A proton with kinetic energy Kp is moving in a uniform magnetic...
  3. Ludwig

    Uniform Circular Motion puzzle

    The position function for a particle moving on a circle (with constant speed) is: ## \vec{r}(t)=\left \langle r\,sin(t), \, r\,cos(t) \right \rangle ## Taking the first and second derivatives, ## \vec{v}(t)=\left \langle -r\,cos(t), \, r\,sin(t) \right \rangle ## ## \vec{a}(t)=\left \langle...
  4. F

    Circular Motion using polar coordinates - Mechanics

    Homework Statement A block of mass M is on a frictionless table that has a hole a distance S from the block. The block is attached to a massless string that goes through the hole. A force F is applied to the string and the block is given an angular velocity w0 , with the hole as the origin, so...
  5. S

    Confused in diffferent forces involved in circular motion

    Hi, I am trying to solve one problem of circular motion and I searched on Internet and found many things and I am confused about different forces or I think same force is shown as different symbol. What I learned is as follows:Force = F = ma (horizontal movement - where height is not involved)...
  6. S

    Circular motion banked curve questions

    Relative equations: F = ma a = v^2/r Fcent = mv^2/r ωf^2 – ωi^2 = 2αs s = θr ω = v/r Problem statement and work so far are all included: (I am having trouble with 5 and no clue how to start on 7-9) You are designing a roadway for a local business, to include a circular exit ramp from the...
  7. K

    High school circular motion problem

    Homework Statement The problem is: An amusement park is replacing it's stand-up roller coaster with a G-Force ride. Riders will enter the ride at the apex and lean against the wall of the ride. The G-force ride will speed up until riders reach height h above the apex. Determine the minimum...
  8. F

    Circular Motion Ball on a String

    Homework Statement https://www.dropbox.com/s/slpu1p8jplmxzmy/Screenshot%202014-11-18%2020.11.58.png?dl=0 Homework Equations Fnet = ma ma = (mv^2)/r The Attempt at a Solution ai) Ft up, mg down /\Ft I m I \/mg aii) both down m I I \/mg \/Ft aiii) Ft right, mg down m - >Ft I \/mg b)...
  9. Adithyan

    Particle inside a smooth groove performing circular motion

    Homework Statement [/B] A circular table of radius rotates about its center with an angular velocity 'w'. The surface of the table is smooth. A groove is dug along the surface of the table at a distance 'd' from the centre of the table till the circumference. A particle is kept at the starting...
  10. T

    Circular Motion with time-dependent radial acceleration

    Homework Statement A particle is traveling on a circle with a radius R. The particle's radial acceleration is given as: a_r=At^4 At time t=0 the particle is at (R,0) . A. Find the distance that the particle has traveled as a function of time S(t) . B. Display the particle's acceleration...
  11. P

    Horizontal circular motion problem

    Homework Statement I have this question to solve for homework : " An object of mass 10 kg is whirled around a horizontal circle of radius 4m" If the uniform speed of the object is 5m/s Calculate a) tension in string b) angle of inclination of string to the vertical.Homework EquationsThe Attempt...
  12. D

    Circular Motion -- Swinging keys on a string in a vertical circle

    Homework Statement Assuming the keys are moving in uniform circular motion![/B] Keys with a combined mass of 0.100 kg are attached to a 0.25 m long string and swung in a circle in the vertical plane. a)What is the slowest speed that the keys can swing and still maintain a circular path...
  13. Q

    Calculating Tarzan's Max Swing Speed

    Homework Statement Tarzan plans to cross a gorge by swinging in an arc from a hanging vine. If his arms are capable of exerting a force of 1500N on the rope, what is the maximum speed he can tolerate at the lowest point of his swing? His mass is 85kg; the vine is 4.0m long Homework Equations...
  14. P

    Uniform Circular Motion on a race track

    Homework Statement On a banked race track, the smallest circular path on which cars can move has a radius of 116 m, while the largest has a radius of 153 m, as the drawing illustrates. The height of the outer wall is 11.6 m. Find (a) the smallest and (b) the largest speed at which cars can move...
  15. P

    Torque vs Centripetal Force: What's the Difference?

    Torque causes a system to rotate about its axis while centripetal force causes a system to rotate about the axis of the separate system that exerted the centripetal force. So does this mean that torque specifically causes rotation and centripetal force causes revolution?
  16. P

    Uniform Circular Motion of a centrifuge

    Homework Statement A centrifuge is a device in which a small container of material is rotated at a high speed on a circular path. Such a device is used in medical laboratories, for instance, to cause the more dense red blood cells to settle through the less dense blood serum and collect at the...
  17. P

    Non-uniform circular motion problem

    Homework Statement A 200g ball on a 55-cm-long string is swung in a vertical circle about a point 200 cm above the floor. The string suddenly breaks when it is parallel to the ground and the ball is moving upward. The ball reaches a height 600 cm above the floor. What was the tension in the...
  18. G

    Uniform Circular Motion of a Spherical Earth

    Homework Statement In this question, the Earth is modeled as a uniform sphere of radius 6400km. Objects are released from points just above the Earth's surface at the equator and at the North Pole. Which will fall to the Earth with the greater acceleration and by how much? Homework Equations...
  19. N

    Circular motion of a steel block

    Homework Statement A .5 kg steel block rotates on a steel table, attached to a 1.20m-long hollow tube. Air is fed through the tube and is ejected from the block, giving it a thrust force of 5.21N perpendicular to the tube. Max tension the tube can withstand without breaking is 50N. Assume...
  20. K

    Circular Motion of a moving rock Problem

    Homework Statement You hold a bucket in one hand. In the bucket is a 480g rock. You swing the bucket so the rock moves in a vertical circle 2.8m in diameter. What is the minimum speed the rock must have at the top of the circle if it is to always stay in contact with the bottom of the bucket...
  21. Quadrat

    Maximum angle in a vertical circular motion

    Homework Statement A person with the mass m swinging in a pendulum motion (vertical circular motion) hangs by a rope (with negligible mass) that can stand a tension of two times the person's mass. I am trying to calculate the maximum angles of the circular motion without the rope breaking...
  22. A

    Velocity of an Object in Uniform Circular Motion

    Homework Statement An object of mass 0.5 kg is swung in uniform circular motion. The radius is 2 meters, and the force exerted is 4 N. Calculate the magnitude of the velocity. Answer Choices: a) 0.25 m/s b) 1 m/s c) 4 m/s d) 16 m/s Homework Equations v = 2piR/T F = mv^2/R The Attempt at a...
  23. P

    Uniform Circular Motion: Why is the velocity changing?

    I encountered this question in a practice test for an upcoming exam. My first inkling was to answer with (C) because in uniform circular motion, the acceleration always points towards the center of the circle, but the actual answer was D. Do you think this question was just an issue of direction...
  24. D

    Finding acceleration with circular motion

    Homework Statement Entrance and exit ramps for freeways are often circular stretches of road. As you go around one at a constant speed, you will experience a constant acceleration. Suppose you drive through an entrance ramp at a modest speed and your acceleration is 2.0 m/s2. What will be the...
  25. J

    Circular Motion: Constant Centripetal Force and Velocity

    Homework Statement Assessing the required forces at the top and bottom of a loop de loop. I understand that you need a larger force at the bottom of the loop because you have to counter gravity. My question is, when you are undergoing uniform circular motion and your centripetal acceleration is...
  26. T

    Vertical and horizontal circular motion: How to identify the centripetal force?

    I made notes on this in class, but I did not understand everything about it. So, what I know is that vertical motion is when the object goes around in a circle like this: And horizontal I guess it is like this: But then I am very confused regarding what my teacher told me for horizontal...
  27. J

    What Prevents a Bike from Sliding on a Friction-less Banked Track?

    Homework Statement Please could someone help explain the case of a friction-less banked race track. If you take an Olympic indoor banked cycle track and imagine for a moment that it was friction-less. The laws of circular motion tell us that without friction the banked geometry can enable a...
  28. R

    Frictional Force in Circular Motion

    Hi Guys, I am trying to understand that how does the frictional force on a car moving in a circle is directed towards the centre? I do understand that kinetic friction acts tangentially to the motion and opposite to the velocity vector but why does static friction act towards...
  29. T

    Question on circular motion involving astronauts and g force?

    The question is: If an astronaut who can physically withstand acceleration up to 9 times that of free fall (9g) is being rotated in an arm of length 5.0m what is the maximum number of revolutions per second permissible. I approached this by considering 9g to be the centripetal acceleration...
  30. T

    How Is Average Acceleration Calculated for a Point on the Equator Over Time?

    Homework Statement Could someone please help me with this quesiton 4. The Earth revolves about its axis every 24 hours. Find the magnitude of the average acceleration of a point on the equator over a 5-hour time interval. (The radius of the Earth is 6.38 x 106 m.) Homework...
  31. B

    Circular Motion -- Finding Centripital Acceleration, Speed, etc.

    Homework Statement An object is constrained to move in a circular path of radius r = 3.1 m. At the instant diagrammed in the Figure 1, the directions of the velocity and acceleration are indicated by the v and a, respectively.The magnitude of the acceleration is a = 11.2 m/s^2 and the angle...
  32. J

    Circular Motion involving a gravitron

    Homework Statement I have attached questions about gravitron. I'm struggling with question 2 about calculating the normal force of the gravitron. Homework Equations mv^2/r The Attempt at a Solution I know the answer so I can figure it out as I know it involves setting the...
  33. Ascendant78

    Would a uniform circular motion frame be inertial if ω is constant?

    I'm wondering if someone is observing a situation from a frame moving in a uniform circular motion, would that frame of reference be considered inertial? I'm unsure because of the centripetal acceleration towards the center.
  34. I

    How to Add Acceleration Vector in Uniform Circular Motion

    Currently we're discussing uniform circular motion in my physics class. The previous unit discussed vectors and vector addition in the i, j, k format. When I try to apply the rules for vector addition to find the resultant velocity in uniform circular motion, I get an increase in the...
  35. S

    Uniform Circular Motion vs Circular Orbit due to Gravity

    In uniform circular motion, (eg, a mass on the end of a string moving in a horizontal circle) centripetal force is the only thing causing acceleration. we have the kinematic relationship V=RW or velocity is proportional to radius. I.e a bigger radius means greater linear speed? For the...
  36. E

    How Does Angular Velocity Influence Particle Motion in Rotational Dynamics?

    A particle of mass m is inside a long, narrow tube which rotates a constant angular velocity ω in the horizontal plane. (This means that you see the tube from the top of the figure and not from the side.) At time t = 0 is the particle on the radial distance a from the rotational axis and the...
  37. S

    Circular Motion angle b/w acc and velocity etc.

    How do you find the angle b/w tangential acceleration and total acceleration vector, Or angle between velocity vector and Acceleration vector. I'm really confused about this and no one's helping.
  38. davidbenari

    How Does Non-Uniform Circular Motion Align with Complex Plane Calculations?

    These equations model circular motion. Equation R is the position vector given in polar coordinates. What I've done is represent this vector onto the complex plane via equation (1). Equation (2) and (3) are the first and second time-derivatives, respectively. Now, the question I have is this...
  39. N

    Tension in objects in circular motion

    Homework Statement Acrobat-dude swings two cups of liquid which are attached to ends of a string. He swings the two cups by holding onto the middle of the string. The acrobat then releases his hold on the string and the question asks what is the tension in the string at this point. The...
  40. G

    Simple harmonic motion and circular motion

    why simple harmonic motion is projected as or compared with uniform circular motion ?
  41. J

    Circular Motion - Orbital Mechanics

    Homework Statement Question 1. If two objects were in the same orbit around a planet they would both have the same orbital velocity regardless of their mass. Using the equation given, explain why an object with twice the mass experiences the same orbital velocity. Homework Equations...
  42. Adjoint

    Tangential acceleration in circular motion

    We know that the magnitude of tangential component of acceleration is, atangential = dv/dt (where v is speed) So clearly atan = 0 for uniform circular motion (as v is constant) But what about non-uniform circular motion? I can see atan = 0 only when v = constant. But in non uniform circular...
  43. W

    How Do You Solve Particle Motion Problems in Physics Exams?

    Homework Statement So I just sat an exam today and I'm not sure how I did in this question. I think I did bad in it. http://www.examinations.ie/archive/exampapers/2014/LC020GLP000EV.pdf Its question 8Homework Equations F = mv^2/r v=ωr t=2(pi)r/v The Attempt at a Solution Q9 (a)...
  44. matineesuxxx

    When Does Radial Acceleration Equal Tangential Acceleration in Circular Motion?

    Here is the problem I am working on: A steel ball is accelerated around a circular track of radius 72 cm from rest. after 3 circuits the ball reaches a speed of 4.00 m/s, assuming tangential acceleration, a_{T} , is constant, how long after the ball starts moving is radial acceleration, a_r ...
  45. G

    What is the normal acceleration of body in non uniform circular motion

    when the body rotates with uniform motion then the normal acceleration is V^2/r. but what is the normal acceleration when the motion is in non uniform circular motion let's say when body has uniform tangential acceleration.
  46. R

    Circular motion vertical force

    Hi everyone, If you have a horizontal circular motion (with gravity action on the object), what holds the object up in the horizontal plane? All vertical components of the tension go to zero when the angle with the vertical axis is 90°... Where am I going wrong? Thanks Ramana
  47. J

    Rotation and circular motion under different simultaneity conventions

    A interesting question came up to my mind, and it's related to the concept of different synchonization methods. If we change the synchronization parameter from 1/2 to some other value, light will have different velocities in opposite directions, which implies that two velocities with opposite...
  48. G

    Circular Motion: Find an Expression for Mass M

    Homework Statement The diagram shows a smooth thin tube through which passes a string with masses m and M attached to its ends. The tube is moved so that the mass m travels in a horizontal circle of radius r at constant speed v http://quickpic.info/z/yb.jpg Find an expression for M...
  49. Nathanael

    Uniform Circular Motion and Centripetal Acceleration

    In introductory physics books (or at least mine) it limits the equation a_c=\frac{v^2}{r} to the sitaution where the speed around the circular path is constant. It enforces the idea that the speed is CONSTANT. But wouldn't the equation also apply to non-constant speeds? (a_c would just...
  50. S

    Normal Force in Circular Motion

    Hi all, For a marble in uniform circular motion within a smooth cone, what is the relationship between the normal force by the surface of the cone and the weight of the marble? My take is that the normal force forms a reaction pair with one of the resolved forces of weight. I have resolved the...
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