Circular Motion

Introduction
This week we will study the topic of Circular Motion, in particular, we will concentrate on
uniform circular motion where the speed of the object remains constant. We will first
introduce the basics terms and definitions used when discussing the features of circular
motion such as the radian, angular displacement, angular velocity, centripetal
acceleration, and centripetal force. We will then apply these concepts and the related
equations to circular motion when an object moves in a horizontal circle or when it
moves in a vertical circle allowing use to determine the forces acting on the objects.

Uniform circular motion occurs when an object moves in a curved or circular path and
the speed of the object does not change. The object is moving along a curved or
circular path at a constant speed. Therefore, uniform circular motion is motion along
a curved path at a constant speed.
An object will experience circular motion along any curved path. The object does not
have to be moving along a complete circle. In the picture the train will experience
circular motion only in the curved parts of the track.
Distances and displacements
We will now look at some basic definitions related to Circular Motion involving distance
measurements. We will look at:

 Distance travelled by the object.

 Radius of the curve.

 Angular displacement.

s is the length of the curved path and is the

distance travelled by the object as it moves
from P to Q.

The object moves in a curved path

from point P to point Q.

The figure above shows an object moving from P to Q in a circular path (circular arc)
where r is the radius of the circle and s is the distance along the arc.
If we imagine a piece of string connected to the object and to the centre of the circle
then, as the object moves from P to Q, the piece of string would rotate through an angle
θ. As is shown in the figure above. The line joining the centre of the circle, O, to the
object is the radius, r, of the curved path (and circle). As the object moves from P to Q
the radius rotates around the point O. The angle, q, that the radius rotates when the
object moves from P to Q is called the angular displacement of the object. It is
measured in radians.

The angular displacement, q, of the object is related to the radius, r, of the curve and
the distance, s, the object moves along the curve by the equation:

distance along the curve

angular displacement =
radius of curve

s
θ=
r

The angular displacement, q, is measured in radians while the radius, r, and the
distance, s, are both measured in metres (m).
Speed, velocity, frequency
We will now look at some basic definitions related to Circular Motion involving speed
measurements. We will look at:

 Speed of the object.

 Angular velocity (or angular frequency).

 Frequency of the circular motion.

As the object moves from P to Q it will take a time, t, to travel over the distance, s. For
uniform circular motion the speed, v, is constant, i.e. the speed at P is the same as the
speed at Q. Because the speed is constant, we can use the simple equation:

distance travelled
speed=
time taken

s
v=
t

In the time, t , it takes for the object to move from P to Q the radius rotates through an
angle, θ . The change of θ with time is called the rate of rotation. This can be represented
as:
  an angular velocity,

 a frequency.

Note that angular velocity is also called angular frequency.

The angular velocity is defined as:

The rate of change of angular displacement.

So,

angular displacement
angular velocity=
time

The symbol ω is used to represent angular velocity in equations, so:

θ
ω=
t

The frequency, f , is defined as:

number of turns(rotations)
frequency=
timetaken

N
f=
t

The frequency, f , is can also be defined as:

1
frequency=
time taken for one completerotation

1
f=
T

Where T is called the period of the rotation.

Angular Velocity and Speed
We’ve seen that the speed, v , of an object moving around in a circular path is given by:

s
v=
t

We’ve also seen that the distance, s, moved around the circular path is related to the
angular displacement, θ , and radius, r , by the equation:

s=θr

So, we could write:

θr
v=
t

θ
However, the term is the simply the angular velocity, ω . So, we find that:
t

v=ωr

Worked Example
The moon has a period of 27.5 days round the Earth. Assuming the orbit is circular at a
radius of 3.8 x 108 m, what is the speed in km hr-1?

Solution
We are given the period of rotation in days but need our answer in terms of hours so:

T =27.5 days=27.5 ×24 hrs=660 hrs

We are given the radius of the orbit in metres but need our answer in terms of
kilometres so:
8 5
r =3.8× 10 m=3.8 ×10 km

s
To find v we could use either v= or v=r ω.
t

So, we need to find either s or ω .

s
Method 1: Using v=
t
 s
Since θ= we can see that s=rθ. For one complete rotation θ=2 π . So, we get:
r
5
rθ 2 π ×3.8 ×10 3
v= = =3.6× 10 km/hr
t 660

Method 2: Using v=r ω

θ
ω= . For one complete rotation θ=2 π and t is the period of revolution which is 660hrs.
t
So, we get:

ω 5 2π 3
v=r × =3.8 ×10 × =3.6 × 10 km/hr
t 660

Velocity changes and centripetal acceleration

In the introduction it was stated that we are only considering uniform circular motion and
that, for uniform circular motion, the speed of the object around the circle is constant.
However, although the speed is constant the velocity of the object is not constant, it
changes as the object moves around the circle. The reason the velocity changes is
because the direction of the velocity changes, this is illustrated in the figure below:

The figure shows how the velocity changes as the object moves through from P to Q
around the circular path. There is a small angular displacement of δθ . The velocity
changes as the object moves through from P to Q around the circular path. The change
in velocity, δ ⃗v , is related to the velocity at point P, ⃗
v P, and the velocity at point Q, ⃗
v Q, by
the relationship:
 final velocity=initial velocity +change ∈velocity

So,

⃗
v Q=⃗
v P +δ ⃗v

For uniform circular motion the speed is constant so,

|⃗
v Q|=|⃗
v P|=v

This can be expressed as a vector diagram.

δv

v at point Q (⃗
v ) Q
v at point P (⃗
v ) P

𝛿𝜃
In the vector diagram the three vectors create a triangle. The angle between the initial
and final velocities is δθ . Since δθ is small and |⃗
v Q|=|⃗
v P|=v , it can be shown (using the
properties of triangles and small angles) that:

δv
δθ=
v

So,

δ v=v δθ

Let us assume that it takes a time δt for the object to move from P to point Q.
Acceleration, a , is defined as being a rate of change of velocity, therefore:

δv
a=
δt
However, we know that:

δ v=v δθ

So,
v δθ
a=
δt

However, we previously discovered that:

δθ
ω=
δt

Therefore, we get that the acceleration, a , experienced by the object as it moves at a

constant speed in a circular path is:

a=vω

v
Also, since ω= we could write:
r

2
v
a=
r

or

2
a=ω r

The direction of the acceleration is towards the centre of rotation as is shown in the
figure below.
This is called a centripetal acceleration. Centripetal acceleration is caused by a
change in direction of the velocity not by a change in size of the velocity.

Centripetal Force
Any acceleration can only be created by the application of a force, so the centripetal
acceleration of an object moving along a circular must be created by a force, this force
is called a centripetal force. A centripetal force acts towards the centre of rotation as is
illustrated in the figure below:

From Newton's 2nd law of motion we know that F = ma so, using equations for
centripetal acceleration, we can determine the centripetal force using the equations:

F=mvω
 2
mv
F=
r

2
F=m ω r

Circular motion does not create a centripetal force. A force is required to make an object
move in a circular motion. Any force that makes an object move in a circular path is a
centripetal force. However, a centripetal force is not a separate physical force. A
centripetal force is created by the physical forces acting on an object that make it move
in a curved path.

Imagine a mass on the end on a string.

Now imagine holding the string and swinging the mass so that it goes around in a
horizontal circle. The force that is making the mass go around the circular path is the
tension force in the string. The tension force in the string is the centripetal force.
Without the force from the tension in the string the object would travel in a straight line.

When we are analysing objects moving in a circular path and need to determine what
forces are creating the circular motion the following steps will help determine what these
forces are:

 Find all the forces along the straight line passing through the object to the centre
of rotation. It does not have to be between the centre of rotation and the object,
but it must be on the straight line passing through both.

 Combine all these forces together, taking the direction into account. As a
convention, the forces towards the centre of rotation can be taken to be positive
and those away from the centre of rotation taken to be negative.
  The resultant force, after combining all the forces, IS the centripetal force. It
should be noted that if the object is moving in a circular path the value resultant
force must be towards the centre of rotation.

Worked Example
A small object of mass 0.5kg is attached to the end of a string. The object is whirled
round in a horizontal circle of radius 2.0m. The string will break if the tension exceeds
100N. Calculate the maximum angular velocity of the object.

Solution
In this problem we are given F, m and r and are asked to find ω .

The most useful equation is F=m ω2 r .

Rearranging to make ω the subject of the equation:

ω=
√ F
mr

So,
ω=
√ 100
0.5× 2
=10 rad s−1

Determining the centripetal force - Example

A mass, attached to a string, is whirled in a vertical circle at constant speed. Where is
the string break more likely to break, at the top or the bottom of the circle?
 Circular path

Mass

Direction of motion

String

The speed of the mass is constant so the centripetal force on the mass will be
constant. There are two physical forces acting on the mass that will combine to create
the centripetal force:

1. The weight, W, of the mass. This acts vertically down at all points on the circular
path.
2. The tension force, T, in the string. This always acts towards the centre of the
circle.
 W
T

T T
W T W

W
When the string is horizontal the only force acting towards the centre of rotation is the
tension. Therefore, the centripetal force, F c, is simply made up from the tension force.
So,
T =F c

T T
W W

When mass is at the top of the swing, the tension force, T, and the weight, W, both act
toward the centre of rotation. Therefore, the centripetal force, F c, is made up from the
tension force and the weight added together. So,

T + W =F c
 W
T

In this example we are trying to find the size of the tension force, T, so:

T =F c −W

When mass is at the bottom of the swing, the tension force, T, acts towards the centre
of rotation while the weight, W, acts away from the centre of rotation. Therefore, the
tension force is in a positive direction and the weight is in a negative direction. The
centripetal force, F c, is made up from the difference between the tension force and the
weight. So,

T −W =Fc

W
In this example we are trying to find the size of the tension force, T, so:

T =F c +W

The string is more likely to break in the position where the tension force is the biggest.

W
T

T T
W T W

W
We have ended up with 3 equations for determining the size of the tension force in the
string.

 In the horizontal positions we obtained: T =F c

 At the top of the swing, we obtained: T =F c −W

 At the bottom of the swing, we obtained: T =F c +W

The centripetal force, F c, is the same size at all places since the speed is constant. So,
the string is more likely to break at the bottom of the swing.

Question to attempt.
A jet plane with a mass of 3.2 x 104kg flies in a horizontal circle of radius 870m at a
constant speed of 120m/s.

(a) Calculate the magnitude (size) of this horizontal force. [2]

(b) The plane changes velocity and is made to fly in a vertical circle of radius 1500m. At
a point in the vertical circle the contact force between the pilot and his seat becomes
equal to zero. Calculate the speed of the plane at which is the contact force becomes
zero. [3]