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Circular motion

The document explains circular motion, detailing how objects in circular paths experience centripetal acceleration due to constant changes in direction. It outlines the nature of centripetal force, its various forms, and clarifies misconceptions about centrifugal force, attributing outward motion to inertia instead. Key formulas for centripetal acceleration and force are also provided.

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hesham.physics
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10 views31 pages

Circular motion

The document explains circular motion, detailing how objects in circular paths experience centripetal acceleration due to constant changes in direction. It outlines the nature of centripetal force, its various forms, and clarifies misconceptions about centrifugal force, attributing outward motion to inertia instead. Key formulas for centripetal acceleration and force are also provided.

Uploaded by

hesham.physics
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Circular motion

Prepared by: Hesham Rashed


WHEN AN OBJECT ROTATES, AS AN OBJECT ORBITS

What is meant THE ROTATION OBEYS RULES


LIKE THOSE OF A MOVING
OBJECT.
AROUND A CENTRAL POINT,
IT CONSTANTLY CHANGES
ITS VELOCITY.

by circular
motion?

AS A RESULT, THE OBJECT


SUFFERS FROM
CENTRIPETAL
ACCELERATION.
What are the cases of
acceleration?
• Generally, an object accelerates in one of the following cases:
A. Moving in a straight line, while changing its speed.
B. Moving in a circle (or part of it), with a constant speed.
C. Moving in a circle(or part of it), while changing the speed.
Why do we suffer from centripetal
acceleration when moving in a
circle?
• Acceleration is defined as: The rate of change of
velocity.
• Velocity: is a vector quantity that includes both
magnitude and direction.
• If either - magnitude or direction or both –
changed, then we say that the velocity is changing.
• As an object travels in a circular motion ( even at a
constant speed ) it changes its direction every
moment.
• Thus, we say that the object is accelerating.
What are the • The term Centripetal means (center
seeking).

general • Centripetal acceleration always points to the


center of the circular motion.

features of • Centripetal acceleration can be found using


𝑣2
the formula ac = , where ac …….
𝑟

Centripetal Centripetal acceleration vector (m/s2)


v2 …….. Tangential speed (m/s)
acceleration? r ………. Radius of the circle (m)
Centripetal force:
• According to Newton’s second law of
motion: Fnet = mass x acceleration
• If the same law is applied on objects
travelling in a circular motion, the law can
be changed as follows:
𝑣2
Fc = mass x ac = mass x
𝑟
Fc …………. Centripetal force (N)
• Centripetal force always points to the
center of the circular motion. ( same as
centripetal acceleration)
What are the forms of
centripetal force?
• Centripetal force can have many forms,
based on the situation:
I. Earth orbits the sun/Moon orbiting the
Earth:
Centripetal force here can be considered as
the gravitational force between the 2
masses. (Fg)
What are the forms of centripetal force?
II. Electrons orbiting the nucleus:
Centripetal force here can be considered as the electrostatic attraction
force between the electrons and the nucleus (negative electrons are
attracted towards the positive nucleus).

n fc e
What are the forms of
centripetal force?
III. A stone attached to a rope, orbiting in a circular
motion:
In this case, the centripetal force can be considered as
the tension force of the rope.
What are the
forms of
centripetal force?
IV. A car travelling in a circular track:
Here the centripetal force can be
considered as the friction force
between the car tires and the road.
How can we identify the
centripetal force in any
situation?
• This question can be answered through
answering few other questions:
A. Is the motion that needs to be studied
is circular (or part of it)?
B. Which force pulls the object to the
center of the circle?

HINT: Drawing a free body diagram would


help in defining the centripetal force
direction.
Generally, people used to think that there is another
force that pushs the objects moving in a circular
motion away from the center of the circle.

Is there any
other forces They called this force “Centrifugal force”

that oppose
centripetal
force? This force ACTUALLY DOESN’T EXIST.

Practically speaking, what pushes the objects away


from the center of the circular motion, is the
object’s INERTIA.
• Inertia: is the ability of the object to resist the change in its motion.
• When an object travels in circular motion, we know that it changes its
direction all the time.
• As it does so, it tries to continue moving in a straight line every
moment. However, the centripetal force prevents him from doing so.
And keeps pulling it towards the center of the circle.

Make no mistake……Inertia is NOT a force


Circular motion practice

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