E106: Uniform Circular Motion
ALENTON, Neil Isidore R.
Objectives:
Uniform circular motion can be described as
motion of an object in a circle at a constant
speed. As an object moves in a circle, the object
has a constant speed but theres a change in
direction and so an acceleration can be observed
with a constant velocity and a change in position.
Also, uniform circular motion has a force that
acts upon the object that directs it toward the
center. The net force is said to be the centripetal
force. Centripetal force that came from the Latin
word centrum which means "center"
and petere " which means to seek," is a force
that is always directed to the center and with this
force, the object would be moving along a
straight path.
This experiment aims to make the student
understand the uniform circular motion. Also it
aims to quantify the centripetal force on the body
when the parameters is held constant and also to
verify the effects of varying the factors involved
in circular motion.
Materials and Methods:
Materials:
Rotating flatform
Clamp on Pulley
Set of weights
Mass hanger
Stopwatch
Angle meter
Methods:
Part 1: Determination of Centripetal Force
(with constant mass and variable radius of
rotation)
By hanging a known mass over the clamp on
pulley, this allowed the researchers to create a
constant centripetal force. The radius was set
initially to 16 cm and the spring bracket was
adjusted up and down to make sure that the
string is in vertical position. The bracket was
moved with the orange indicator located on the
center post and the position of the orange
indicator would serve as the reference. The mass
hanging over the pulley was removed and the
apparatus was watrted to rotate gently by the
reseacrhers. The orange indicator must be
centered in the indicator bracket to keep the
rotating object at its desired radius. A stopwatch
was used to complete ten revolutions and the
calculations was made based on the formula.
Part 2: Determination of Centripetal Force
(constant radius and variable mass of
rotating body)
The procedure for the part 1 was repeated but
this time there is no need to slide the side post to
different postion and was moved on a desired
radius by the researchers. There are 3 trials
made and for ever trial, the mass of the rotating
body is changed
Part 3: Determination of mass of rotating
body (with variable force)
The procedure for part 1 was repeated but this
time, the hanging mass on the pulley was
changed for every trial.
Observations and Results:
The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration
ac is given by
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 2 thumb screws position. The spring bracket is
=
adjusted up and down to make sure that the
string is in vertical orientation. The bracket with
and the centripetal force is
the orange indicator was moved to be located at
2 the center of the post and it will serve as the
= = reference and the mass hanging over the pulley

was removed. The apparatus was gently rotated
Since it is difficult to measure the velocity of the and the orange indicator must be centered in the
body directly, you will instead compute the indicator bracket to keep the rotating object at is
velocity from quantities that are easier to desired radius. To record the time, the
measure. The magnitude of the velocity vector researchers used a stopwatch and a complete
can be determined by measuring the distance ten revolution is recorded. Dividing the time
that the object travels per unit time. If T is the recorded by 10 will be used as data. It was
period (length of time needed for the object to repeated until 5 trials are done and in each trial
make one complete revolution), then the speed the radius of rotation is increased by 1cm. The
is equal to the distance traveled in that one researchers successfully completed the 5 trials
revolution divided by the period. and were able to gather the following set of data
2
= Mass of rotating body m = 207.5 g
(Mass hanging +Mass of pan)x 980 cm/ 2 =
2
24500dynes
Substituting this into = for the centripal Trial Radius of Period of Frequency

forve gives rotation Rotation of rotation
r T f
(2)2 1 16 cm 2.356 s 0.43 rev/s
= = 4 2 2 = 4 2 2 2 17 cm 2.378 s 0.42 rev/s

3 18 cm 2.387 s 0.42 rev/s
where f=1/T is the number of 4 19 cm 2.406 s 0.42 rev/s
revolutions per second measured in Hertz. 5 20 cm 2.416 s 0.41 rev/s

Now substituting to the formula = =

2

It was known that to calculate the centripetal

= 42 2
force, the formula derived earlier which is
Part 1: Determination of Centripetal Force = 42 2
(with constant mass and variable radius of
is to be used to calculate for the centripetal force
rotation)
of the body and by the data gathered, the
In this part of the experiment, the researchers centripetal force for each trial is calculated to be
objective is to find the centripetal force of an
Centripetal Force,
object with a constant mass and variable radius
Trial
of rotation. It was done in 5 trials and in each
1 24234.54 dynes
trial the radius of rotation is increased with 1cm
and the mass remains constant. To start, the 2 24565.48 dynes
researchers weigh the rotation body using a 3 26010.51 dynes
digital weighing scale to determine its mass. To 4 27455.54 dynes
create a centripetal force, they must hang a 5 27540.74 dynes
known mass over the clamp-on pulley. It was with an average of
initially set up to 16cm radius and adjusted the
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() to time the ten revolutions and by dividing the
24234.54 + 24565.48 + 26010.51 + 27455.54 + 27540.74 time with 10 will result to the period of rotation
=
5 of the moving object. It was repeated until three
= 25961.36 trials were done and in each preceding trial, the
mass of the rotating body is changed. The
and a percent difference of
researchers were able to gather the following set
| 24500 25961.36| of data as follows
% = 100% = 0.48%
24500 + 25961.36
2

It can be observed that the average Radius of rotation r = 16 cm

experimental value of the centripetal force that (mass hanging + mass of pan) x 980 cm/ 2 =
was calculated was close to the actual value with 24500 dynes (actual value)
a percent difference of 5.79%. It clearly states Trial Mass of Period of Frequency
that the average centripetal forces that was rotating rotation , of rotation,
calculated are the forces that the researchers body , m T f
was aiming to get but with a 5.79% difference 1 207.5 2.425 s 0.41 rev/s
(maybe) due to the keeping the rotation of the grams
rotating body constant which is hard to manage. 2 157 2.088 s 0.48 rev/s
From the tabulated data, it shows that as the grams
radius increases, so does the centripetal force. 3 106.5 1.666 s 0.6 rev/s
grams

Part 2: Determination of Centripetal Force

(constant radius and variable mass of
rotating body)
In this part of the experiment, the researchers
aim to calculate the centripetal force with a
constant radius and variable mass of rotating
body. It was done in 3 trials and in each trial,
the mass of the rotating body is increased and
unlike the previous part, there is no need to
slide the side post to different positions. To start
off, the researchers weigh the rotating body
using a digital weighing scale and the mass is
recorded to be use as a basis of the calculation
of the centripetal force. Like the previous part,
hanging a known mass over the clamp-on pulley
will create a constant centripetal force. The
spring bracket is also adjusted to make sure that
the string is connecting the rotating body is in
vertical position. The orange bracket will serve
again as a reference and after removing the
mass hanging over the pulley, the apparatus
must be gently rotated until the indicator is
centered in the indicator bracket. Ten complete
revolution is completed and a stopwatch is used
Like in the previous part, the researchers aim to
calculate for the centripetal force by using the
formula
= 42 2
and by the set of data gathered by the
researchers, they were able to tabulate the
centripetal force for each trials as follows
Centripetal Force
Trial
1 22032.58 dynes
2 22848.72 dynes
3 24217.69 dynes
with an average of
22032.58 + 22.848.72 + 24217.69
() =
3
= 23032.98
and a percent difference of

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 | 24500 23032.98| +Mass of Rotation f
% = 100% = 6.17%
24500 + 23032.98 pan) x 980 T
2 cm/ 2
1 24500 dynes 2.272 s 0.44 rev/s
Once again, the researchers were able to get the
2 29400 dynes 2.094 s 0.48 rev/s
average experimental value of centripetal force
3 34300 dynes 1.991 s 0.50 rev/s
but with a 6.17% difference from the actual 4 39200 dynes 1.797 s 0.56 rev/s
value which is a small difference and the 5 44100 dynes 1.706 s 0.59 rev/s
difference once again (maybe) due to the
inconsistent rotation of the rotating body and
the wrong measurement of the time. From the
tabulated data, it shows that as the mass
By knowing the formula of the Centripetal Force
increases, the centripetal force decreases.
to be = 42 2 , the mass of the rotating
body can be found by deriving it from the
formula of the centripetal force. By deriving so,
Part 3: Determination of mass of rotating it can be found that the formula for the mass of
body (with variable force) the rotating body is

For this part of the experiment, the researchers

= 42 2 =
aim to find the mass of the rotating body with a 4 2 2
constant radius and variable force. To start off,
the researchers weigh the rotating body once By knowing the centripetal force, period of
again by using the digital weighing scale and rotation, and frequency of rotation for each trial,
record its mass as a basis for the actual value of it is possible to calculate for the mass of the
mass of the rotating body. A known mass was rotating body. By calculating so, the researchers
hang over the clamp-on pulley and in each trial, were able to tabulate the following set of data
the mass on the pulley is increased. The
Mass of rotating body,
researchers now then tightens and secure the
Trial
the thumb screw and keep the radius constant.
1 200.35 grams
The spring bracket is adjusted once again and.
2 202.02 grams
The bracket with an orange indicator is moved
once again to be located at the center post. The 3 217.21 grams
apparatus now was gently rotated keeping the 4 197.89 grams
orange indicator at the center of the bracket. 5 200.56 grams
Ten revolutions was completed like the previous with an average of
parts and the time is recorded dividing it by 10
200.35 + 202.02 + 217.21 + 197.89 + 200.56
that will serve as the period of rotation. The () =
5
steps were repeated and on the preceding trials, = 203.606
the mass that was hanged on the clamp-on
pulley is changed and with the change of mass, and a percent difference of
the centripetal force for each trial will also
| 207.8 203.606|
change. The researchers were able to tabulate % = 100% = 1.89%
207.8 + 203.606
the following set of data after the experiment 2
was done
It shows that the average experimental value
Radius of rotation, r=16 that the researchers calculated is close to the
Mass of rotating body, m=207.5 actual value of the mass of rotating body with a
Trial (Mass Period Frequency percent difference of 1.89%.
hanging of of rotation

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Discussion and Conclusion: http://www.webassign.net/labsgraceperiod/ncsul
cpmech2/lab_5/manual.html
In this experiment, the researchers were able to Self-Explanatory
identify the factors that affect the centripetal
force on an object and some of these are the Discussion and Conclusion:
mass of the object, the distance of the object Self-Explanatory
from the center or the radius, some applied
forces on the object aside from the centripetal
force, the speed of the rotation and it was
learned also that the uniform circular motion has
acceleration because there is a change of
direction only in velocity as the object perform
circular motion but the speed remains constant
and so does the magnitude of velocity.

Acknowledgement and References:

I would like to acknowledge the following for

bringing success on the experiement
E106:Uniform Circular Motion; Professor Ricardo
De Leon for guiding each and every student in
doing the experiment; The Laboratory Stockroom
staffs for letting us handle the equiptment with
care; The group members who help each other to
complete the experiment; Don Tomas Mapua for
without him, the Mapua Institute of Technology
wouldnt exist thus we wont be having any
experiment; God for enlightening each and every
one of us who did the experiment to finish it
whole and honestly.

References:

Objectives:
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/circm
ot/ucm.cfm
http://www.regentsprep.org/regents/physics/phy
s06/bcentrif/default.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centripetal_force
Laboratory Manual

Materials and Methods:

Laboratory Manual

Observations and Results:

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