3.2 Physics 6A Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform Circular Motion
Physics 6A
Prepared by Vince Zaccone
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Assistance Services at UCSB
Uniform = Constant Speed
Circular = The Path is a Circle (or part of a circle)
Motion = Speed is not zero
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Examples of UCM:
A car driving around a circular turn at constant speed
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Examples of UCM:
A rock tied to a string and whirled in a circle
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Examples of UCM:
Clothes in a dryer spinning at constant speed
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Examples of UCM:
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A passenger on a Ferris wheel
Examples of UCM:
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Earth orbiting the Sun (almost, but not quite true)
Examples of UCM:
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What do these motions have in common?
Examples of UCM:
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What these motions have in common:
Constant speed (not constant velocity)
Acceleration toward the center of the circle (constant magnitude)
CENTRIPETAL is
the word for this
We have a formula that we will use often for circular motion.
For an object moving in a circular path, the centripetal
(toward the center) acceleration is given by:
R
v
a
2
cent
=
You might also see a
rad
, which stands
for radial acceleration
Here v stands for the linear speed and
R is the radius of the circular path.
v
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v
a
rad
v
v
v
a
rad
a
rad
a
rad
a
rad
Notice that the radial acceleration is
always toward the center of the circle, and
the velocity is always tangent to the circle.
This is Uniform Circular Motion
Example Problem 1
A centrifuge rotates at a rate of 1000 revolutions per minute. If the test tube in the centrifuge is 8.3 cm long, find
the centripetal acceleration at the bottom of the test tube.
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Example Problem 1
Here is a diagram of the centrifuge.
The bottom of the test tube is 8.3 cm from the center,
so we will use a radius of 8.3 cm in our formula.
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8.3 cm
Example Problem 1
r
v
a
2
cent
=
We need to find the speed v
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8.3 cm
Example Problem 1
r
v
a
2
cent
=
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8.3 cm
Convert from rpm to m/s:
( )
sec 60
min 1
rev
m r 2
min
rev 100
v
=
The circumference of the circle is the
distance traveled during each revolution
Example Problem 1
r
v
a
2
cent
=
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8.3 cm
( )
( )
sec 60
min 1
rev
m 083 . 0 2
min
rev 100
v
sec 60
min 1
rev
m r 2
min
rev 100
v
=
Example Problem 1
r
v
a
2
cent
=
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8.3 cm
( )
( )
s
m
87 . 0 v
sec 60
min 1
rev
m 083 . 0 2
min
rev 100
v
sec 60
min 1
rev
m r 2
min
rev 100
v
=
=
Example Problem 1
r
v
a
2
cent
=
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8.3 cm
( )
( )
s
m
87 . 0 v
sec 60
min 1
rev
m 083 . 0 2
min
rev 100
v
sec 60
min 1
rev
m r 2
min
rev 100
v
=
=
Now we can use our formula to find acceleration:
( )
2
s
m
2
s
m
cent
1 . 9
m 083 . 0
87 . 0
a = =
Example Problem 2
A Ferris wheel with radius 14m is turning about an axis at its center, as shown. The linear speed of a passenger
on the rim is constant at 7 m/s. What are the magnitude and direction of the passengers acceleration a) at the
top and b) at the bottom?
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Example Problem 2
First think about the direction of the acceleration:
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Example Problem 2
At the top, the acceleration is downward (toward the center)
a
r
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Example Problem 2
At the top, the acceleration is downward (toward the center), and at
the bottom, the acceleration is upward (again, toward the center)
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a
r
Example Problem 2
a
r
We can find the magnitude from our
formula for centripetal acceleration:
v
2
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a
r
r
v
a
2
cent
=
Example Problem 2
a
r
We can find the magnitude from our
formula for centripetal acceleration:
2
v
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a
r
( )
2
s
m
2
s
m
cent
2
cent
5 . 3
m 14
7
a
r
v
a
= =
=

3.2 Physics 6A Uniform Circular Motion

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