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Syllabus
1. Kinematics
2. Forces & Dynamics
3. Work, Energy & Power
4. Uniform Circular Motion

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 Uniform Circular Motion
1. Draw a vector diagram to illustrate that
the acceleration of a particle moving
with constant speed in a circle is directed
towards the centre of the circle
2. Apply the expression for centripetal
acceleration
3. Identify the force producing circular
motion in various situations
4. Solve problems involving circular
motion
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 Circular Motion
1) Is this car travelling at constant speed?

2) Is this car travelling at constant velocity?

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Mechanics of Circular Motion
• Uniform circular motion is
used to describe an object
that is going around a circle
at constant speed
• Speed of the object is
constant, but its direction is
changing all the time  its
velocity is constantly
changing  acceleration

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Mechanics of Circular Motion
• Acceleration of a particle
travelling in circular motion
is called centripetal
acceleration
• Force needed to cause
centripetal acceleration is
called centripetal force

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Examples of Circular Motion

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Car on a circular track

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Car on a banked track

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 Centripetal Acceleration
If the velocity is changing then it must be accelerating...

Va This change in velocity is

towards the centre of the
circle so the acceleration
and is towards the centre
if the circle –
“Centripetal Acceleration”

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 Centripetal acceleration
• The velocity of circular motion is not constant, because its
direction is changing
• The average acceleration approaches the instantaneous
acceleration at centre of a circle as Ө approaches zero. This
acceleration is called centripetal acceleration.
• It is always directed toward O, the centre of circular motion
• It is vector and its magnitude is given by:-
2
v
ac =
r

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 Centripetal force
• If the speed is constant, the direction of the
acceleration is towards the centre of the circle
and therefore that is also the direction of the
net force. It is a centripetal force.
• Using Newton’s 2nd Law:
F = mac
v2
F =m
r
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Conical pendulum

• The weight of a conical pendulum mg is supported by

the vertical component of the tension T.
• Hence T cos ɵ = mg
• The centripetal force is contributed by the horizontal
component of the tension.
• Hence T sin ɵ =mv2/r
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Motion in a vertical circle

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 Points to note
 Centripetal force is NOT a new force that
starts acting on something when it goes in
a circle
 Centripetal force does NOT do any work
 Centripetal force is the total or net force
that result from all the other forces on the
object

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 Summary
 Tangential velocity, v = s/t 2
v
 Centripetal acceleration, ac =
r
 Centripetal force, F = mac
v2
F =m
r

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Question:
A car of mass 1500 kg is travelling at constant speed of 20 m s-1
around a circular track of radius 50 m, calculate the resultant
force that acts on it.

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Question:
A man stands on the Earth’s equator at sea level. Calculate his
acceleration due to the rotation of the Earth about its axis, given
that the Earth is rotating at a speed of 468 m s-1 .
[1 day = 8.6 X 104 s, radius of the Earth = 6.4 X 106 m]

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Circular motion of an airplane

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Question:
A model plane of mass 0.50 kg is attached to one end of light inextensible
cord of length 40 m and the other end firmly fixed to the ground. When the
plane is airborne, the cord is taut and makes an angle of 70 to the vertical.
The plane flies with constant speed of 30 m/s in a horizontal circle without
tilting.
a) draw a free body diagram of all forces acting on the plane
b) Find
i) the radius, r of the circular motion
ii) the tension in the cord
iii) the lift on the plane.

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