Circular Motion

Circular Motion
Question explain why a car going
around a roundabout at 30mph is
actually accelerating.
Circular Motion
1. What causes circular motion?

2. What do you notice about the direction of the
force and the direction of the motion?

3. In which direction is the object accelerating?

4. What do you think will happen if
a) We increase the mass?
b) We increase the force?
c) We increase the radius?

5. How much work is done by the force in one
orbit?
Circular Motion
When an object is acted upon by a force at
900 to its motion, the object will experience
circular motion.

The centripetal force always acts towards the
centre of the circle.

The object accelerates because there is a
resultant force. Even though its speed is
constant its direction is constantly changing,
therefore its velocity is changing.
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity
therefore as velocity is changing it must be
accelerating.

The centripetal acceleration is towards the
centre of the circle also.

No work is done as no distance is moved in the
direction of the force!!

Circular Motion Examples
If the force disappears

The object will fly off at a tangent to the
circle at the point the centripetal force is
removed.
Circular Motion Equations
How do mass, velocity and radius of circular motion affect the force required?

How do force, mass and velocity affect the radius of circle described by the object?

What factors affect the acceleration of an object undergoing circular motion?
Answers
If you increase the mass you need a greater centripetal
force
If you increase the velocity you need a greater
centripetal force
If you increase the radius you need a lower centripetal
force

If you increase the mass you need a bigger radius
If you increase the speed you need a bigger radius
If you increase the force you need a smaller radius.