Dynamics II:

Motion in a Plane

Dynamics in Two Dimensions

Before, we always had one of ax or ay being zero.

1-D dynamics

But there are lots of cases where the motion is not along a
line.

ConcepTest 1
A hockey puck is pushed across frictionless ice in the direction shown. The puck
receives a sharp, very short duration kick toward the right as it crosses line 2. It
receives a second kick, of equal strength and duration but toward the left, as it
crosses line 3. What diagram best represents the motion of the puck?
4
1.

2.
3.
4.

2
1

A
B
C
D

65%
3%
29%
3%

ConcepTest 2
A rocket motor is taped to an ice hockey puck. The puck is given a push in the
direction shown; the rocket is turned on by remote control as the puck crosses
line 2, then turned off as it crosses line 3. Which diagram best represents the
motion of the puck?
4
1.
2.

3.
4.

2
1

A
B
C
D

1%
2%
90%
8%

Example Rocketing in the Wind

A small rocket for gathering weather data has a mass of 30 kg and
generates 1500 N of thrust. On a windy day, the wind exerts a 20 N
horizontal force on the rocket. If the rocket is launched straight up,
what is the shape of the trajectory? (Assume no mass loss.)
First, guess:

1.
2.
3.

A
B
C

46%
34%
19%

Uniform Circular Motion Revisited

Recall that a particle in uniform circular motion has a

centripetal acceleration

Lets use a new coordinate system:

Uniform Circular Motion Revisited

Then the velocity of a particle in uniform circular motion can

be written
and the acceleration will be

Sliding in a Horizontal Circle

Consider my keys sliding on the table in a circle. Assume theres no
friction. Draw a free body diagram for the keys using the rtz coordinate
system. Where does the net force point?

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.

Up
Down
Toward the centre of the circle
Away from the centre of the circle
There is no net force on the keys

0%
0%
0%
0%
0%

Swinging in a Horizontal Circle

Now my keys will be in the air. Same question: draw a free body diagram.
Where does the net force point?

1.
2.
3.

4.
5.

Along the string towards the centre of the circle

Along the string away from the centre of the circle
Horizontally towards the centre of the circle
Horizontally away from the centre of the circle
There is no net force on the keys

53%
14%
32%
2%
0%

Dynamics of Uniform Circular Motion

A particle in uniform circular motion is undergoing

acceleration, so there must be a net force acting on it.

How much net force does it need to travel in a circle?

Newtons 2nd law tells us

Example: Turning the Corner

A concrete highway curve of radius 70 m is banked at a 15d
angle. What is the maximum speed with which a 1500 kg
rubber-tired car can take this curve without sliding?

Circular Orbits

Weve been treating the planet as a flat surface, but of

course it isnt:

Circular Orbits

So, an orbiting object is in free fall.

The only force on it is gravity.

This is why astronauts are weightless in orbit.

The Water Bucket Experiment

Imagine swinging a bucket of water over your head.

If you swing it quickly, the water will stay in the bucket.

If you swing it slowly, the water will fall out.

Why?
Never mind for now. Lets think about roller coasters
instead.

Roller Coasters
Consider a simple roller coaster shown below. Is the cart, as
it travels the circle, in uniform circular motion?
1.

2.
3.

Yes
No
Not enough information to tell

0%
0%
0%

Roller Coasters
Draw free body diagrams for the cart at the bottom, right,
top, and left positions.

Roller Coasters

Lets analyze the free body diagram for the cart at the
bottom of the track:

Roller Coasters

Lets analyze the free body diagram for the cart at the top of
the track:

Roller Coasters

What happens if vtop is not very large?

What if n = 0?

At what speed will the normal force

be zero?

Back to the Bucket

The reason the water stays in the

bucket is exactly the same as for the
roller coaster.
We can write the critical velocity in
terms of the angular velocity:

ConcepTest 3
An out-of-gas car is rolling over the top of a hill at speed v. At
this instant,

1.
2.
3.
4.

N > FG
N < FG
N = FG
We cant tell n without
knowing v.

0%
0%
0%
0%

ConcepTest 4
A ball on a string is swung in a vertical circle. The string
happens to break when it is parallel to the ground and the ball
is moving up. Which trajectory does it follow?
1.
2.
3.
4.

(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)

0%
0%
0%
0%

Final thoughts

That ends forces! But its a big subject, and doing all the
practice questions is highly recommended.