2D KINEMATICS

Lecture IV
• Centripetal Force
•Law of Gravitation UNIFORM CIRCULAR
MOTION

PERIOD FREQUENCY
Period ( T ) Frequency
-time for one revolution -number of revolutions per unit time
-time for a particle to go around a closed path -unit: Hertz (Hz) – 1/second
-unit: Seconds (s)
2π r 1
T= f =
v T
r : radius of the
circular arc
v : speed of the
particle

UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTON

motion of an object following a circular path while

moving at a constant speed
Constant speed but
velocity changes
direction

Experiences
centripetal
acceleration.

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 UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTON

Velocity and acceleration

in uniform circular
motion at angular rate ω;
The speed of something moving along a circular path
can be called tangential speed because the direction of the speed is constant, but
motion is always tangent to the circle.
the velocity is always
Tangential speed is directly proportional to rotational tangent to the orbit; the
speed/angular velocity and the distance from the axis acceleration has constant
(radial distance)
v= ωr magnitude, but always
points toward the center of
rotation.

CENTRIPETAL ACCELERATION Centripetal Acceleration and Angular

Frequency
Period of revolution 2π r ω = 2π f
T =
(Period) v v 1 rev/s = 2π rad/sec
ω=
Frequency: f =
1 r
T
(Angular velocity/ Angular frequency)
v2
Centripetal acceleration: ac = Unit: rad/s (Radians/second)
r
v2
Using v from (1): ( 2π r )
2
4π 2 r ac = = ω 2r
ac = = r
Tr T
Note: 1 rad=360o/2π=57.3o

EXAMPLE 1 SOLUTION 1
In a carnival ride, the passengers travel at
constant speed in a circle of radius 5.0m. 2πR v2
They make one complete circle in 4.0s. What v= ac =
is their velocity and acceleration? T R
2π (5.0m )
v=
4. 0 s ac =
(7.9m / s )2
5.0m

v = 7.9m / s ac = 12m / s 2

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 Example 2
EXAMPLE 3
What is the centripetal acceleration of an
automobile driving at 40km/h on a circular track of The period of a stone swung in a
radius 20m? horizontal circle on a 2.00-m radius is
1.00s.
(a) What is its angular velocity in rad/s?
Given:
v = 40km/h,
Equation to use: ac = v2/r Given: r = 2.00 m, T = 1.00s
r = 20m Required: ω
ac=(40000m/3600s)2
20m Equations to use:
Required: centripetal A. ω = 2πf
acceleration, ac = 6.17 m/s2
B. T = 1/f
C. ω=2π/T= 2π rad/s

The period of a stone swung in a horizontal

The period of a stone swung in a
circle on a 2.00-m radius is 1.00s.
horizontal circle on a 2.00-m radius is
1.00s.
(b) What is its linear speed in m/s?
Given: ω (from the previous problem) (c) What is its radial acceleration in m/s2?
Required: v Given: v (from the previous problem), r
Equation to use: Required: ac
ω = v/r Equation to use: ac = v2/r
therefore ac = v /r=(4π m/s) 2/2.00m
2

v = ωr =78.5m/s2
v = (2π rad/s)2.00m= 4π m/s

Equations to remember! CENTRIPETAL FORCE

v= ωr (Tangential speed or linear speed)
 Centripetal Force is a force that tends to keep
Centripetal Acceleration Period and object in moving around a circular arc or path
2 Frequency
( 2π r ) = 4π 2 r v2  The magnitude of the centripetal force is the
ac = ac = = ω 2 r 2π r
2
T r T 2
r product of an object’s mass and its centripetal
T =
v acceleration as it moves around the circular
Angular Frequency/velocity path
v 1
ω = ω = 2π f f =  The direction of the centripetal force is
r T always directed towards the center of the
Unit: rad/s (Radians/second) circle.

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Centripetal acceleration Centripetal acceleration and

An object traveling in a circle, the angular velocity
even though it moves with a
constant speed, will have an
The angular velocity and the
acceleration (since velocity linear velocity are related
changes direction)
(v = ωr)

This acceleration is called
centripetal (“center-seeking”).
The centripetal acceleration

The acceleration is directed can also be related to the
Similar
toward the center of the circle of angular velocity triangles!

motion

∆v ∆s v
= ⇒ ∆v = ∆s, but Total acceleration
v r r
uur
r ∆v v ∆s
a= ⇒ a=
What happens if linear velocity also
∆t r ∆t changes?

Two-component acceleration:
Thus:  the centripetal component of the
v2 Similar acceleration is due to changing
aC = or aC = ω 2 r triangles!
direction
r
 the tangential component of the
acceleration is due to changing
speed
slowing-down car

Total acceleration can be found

from these components: a = at2 + aC2

Forces Causing Centripetal Centripetal Force

Acceleration
Net inward force to provide centripetal acceleration

Newton’s Second Law says that the
centripetal acceleration is accompanied
Due to contact and/or gravitational forces
by a force v2
∑ F = maC = m
r
 F stands for any force that keeps an F
object following a circular path F
F
 Force of friction (level and banked curves)
F
 Tension in a string Direction:
 Gravity towards the center

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Centripetal Force SOME EXAMPLES

For an object sitting on a rotating turntable, the

centripetal force is friction.
This is not a new kind of force, but merely a
name for the force needed for circular For a rock whirled on the end of a string, the
motion. centripetal force is the force of tension in the
string.
The centripetal force maybe due to:
string, spring, or other contact force such as
normal force and friction, action-at-a-distance For the motion of the Earth around the Sun, the
forces such as gravity;
centripetal force is gravity.

Example 1: level curves

Consider a car driving at 20
m/s (~45 mph) on a level
centripetal force could be a combination of circular turn of radius 40.0
two or more forces. For example, as a m. Assume the car’s mass
is 1000 kg.
Ferris-wheel rider passes through the
lowest point, the centripetal force on her is 1. What is the magnitude of
frictional force experienced
the difference between the normal force by car’s tires?
exerted by the seat and her weight. 2. What is the minimum
coefficient of friction in order
for the car to safely
negotiate the turn?

Example a:
2. Use definition of friction
1. Draw a free body diagram,
Given: introduce coordinate frame and force: 2
consider vertical and horizontal v
f = µ mg = m = 104 N , thus
masses: m=1000 kg projections r
∑
velocity: v=20 m/s
radius: r = 40.0m Fy = 0 = N − mg 1.0 × 104 N
µ= ≈ 1.02 
1000 kg 9.8 m s 2
N = mg
Find:

1. f=?
∑F x = ma = − f
Lesson: µ for rubber on dry concrete is 1.00!
2. µ=? v2
f = −ma = −m rubber on wet concrete is 0.2!
r
2 driving too
= −1000 kg
( 20 m s ) = −1.0 ×104 N  fast…
40 m

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Assignment (1/2): banked curves

Consider a car driving at 20

m/s (~45 mph) on a 30°
banked circular curve of
radius 40.0 m. Assume the
car’s mass is 1000 kg.

1. What is the magnitude of

frictional force experienced by
car’s tires? NEWTON’S LAW OF GRAVITATION
2. What is the minimum
coefficient of friction in order
for the car to safely negotiate
the turn?

Gravitation Constant
Newton’s Law of Universal
Gravitation
Determined experimentally

Henry Cavendish

Every particle in the Universe attracts every  1798
other particle with a force that is directly
The light beam and mirror serve to
proportional to the product of the masses and amplify the motion
inversely proportional to the square of the
distance between them.
m1m2
F =G
r2
 G is the universal gravitational constant
 G = 6.673 x 10-11 N m² /kg²
 This is an example of an inverse square law

Example Applications of Universal

Gravitation 1: Mass of the Earth

Use an example of an object
Question: Calculate gravitational attraction between two students 1 close to the surface of the
meter apart. Assume the student 1 has a mass of 70 kg while the earth
other one has a mass of 90 kg.
m 1m 2 N m 2 70kg 90kg  r ~ RE
F = G = 6 .6 7 × 1 0 − 1 1 2
r2 kg 2 (1 m )
F ≈ 4.2 × 10−7 N Extremely small
compared to the GM E m1
weight (F = mg). m1 g =
RE 2

gRE2
ME =
G

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Applications of Universal Escape Speed
Gravitation 2: Acceleration Due
to Gravity
The escape speed is the speed needed for an

g will vary with altitude
object to soar off into space and not return
mM E  M  2GM E
F =G = m G 2E  = mg vesc =
r2  r  RE

ME
For the earth, vesc is about 11.2 km/s

g =G
Note, v is independent of the mass of the object
r2

PHYSICS FAIR

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