Circular Motion

• Uniform circular motion (constant

centripetal acceleration)

• Motion with a tangential and radial

(centripetal)acceleration
 Uniform Circular Motion
• Object has a circular path, constant
speed.

• The velocity is always tangent to the path

of the object.
Why is there acceleration in
uniform circular motion?

Dv = vf – vi

a= Dv/ Dt
 Centripetal Acceleration
2
• Vector v
aC 
r
• Always perpendicular to the path of
the motion.

• Points toward the center of the

circle.
 Characteristics of Uniform
Circular Motion

• Tangential (linear) Velocity

• Frequency
• Period
• Centripetal Acceleration
 Frequency, f :
#revolutions per unit time

• f = # rev / time

Units: r
• (1/sec)=sec-1=Hertz (Hz)
• rpm (#rev/min)
• rps (#rev/sec)
 Period
• Period T : time for 1 revolution
– Unit: sec, min, h

• Relating Frequency and period

f= 1
T
Tangential Speed in terms
of T or f

v=2pr/T

v=2prf
 Example 1
• A boy whirls a stone in a horizontal
circle of r=1.5m, 2m above the
ground. The string breaks and the
stone strikes 10m away. What was
the centripetal acceleration during
the circular motion?

• Answer: 160m/s2
 Tangential Acceleration
• When v varies.

• Motion is not uniform circular motion.

 Total Acceleration
• Tangential
acceleration (vector)

Plus

• Radial acceleration
(vector)
 Total Acceleration
dv
• Tangential acceleration:
at 
dt
• Radial acceleration: 2
v
ar  aC  
• Total acceleration: r

a  a a 2
r
2
t
 Total Acceleration
2
dv ˆ v
a  at  a r  q  rˆ
dt r

– r, radius vector
 q , tangent to the
circle
 Example 2 (#34)
An automobile whose speed is
increasing at a rate of 0.6m/s2 travels on
a circular road of radius 20m. When the
instantaneous speed of the car is 4m/s
find: a)the tangential acceleration, b)the
centripetal acceleration, c)the magnitude
and direction of the total acceleration.

Ans: a)0.6m/s2,b)0.8m/s2, c)1m/s2,53.1o