Physics - Unit 6 circular motion
What is produced whenever the direction of a velocity changes?
-acceleration
What is this center-directed acceleration called?
-centripetal acceleration
What must be applied to an object to give it a circular motion?
-centripetal force
A car is driven with constant speed around a circular track. Is its velocity constant?
-no, velocity is not constant because the direction in which the car moves is changing
What would happen to the object if net force is zero?
-the object would travel in a straight path
In was direction does Fnet point when an object is in uniform circular motion?
-towards the center of the circle
In what direction does this acceleration act?
-towards the center of the circle
To make an object move in a circle with a constant speed, a force must act on it that is directed where?
-towards the center of the circle
In order for velocity to be constant, what conditions must be met?
-velocity must have constant speed AND direction
In circular motion, does direction change frequently?
-yes, direction changes continuously
What is the size of acceleration due to centripetal force equal to?
Centripetal acceleration = v^2/r
What is the size of centripetal force equal to? (equation)
Centripetal force = m*v^2/r
What is uniform circular motion?
constant speed, but acceleration still present because of change of direction
true or false if an object moves in a circle at a constant speed, its velocity vector will be constant.
false, the velocity will change since the direction changes
what is the force on the moon orbiting earth
gravity
An object moves in a circle at a constant speed. The direction of the acceleration vector is best described as being
inwards, towards the center
what is the relationship between velocity and acceleration in a circle.
it is a right angle
Where is the velocity vector directed when an object is moving in a circle at a constant speed? where is the acceleration vector directed?
tangent to the center, inwards
An object is moving in a circle. The velocity at any given moment is directed _______
tangent to the circle
What it centripetal force?
the force acting on an object travelling in a circle that constantly either pushes or pulls the object towards the centre of motion (symbol: Fc; unit: newton; unit symbol: N)
how can an object accelerate towards the center without ever getting any closer to the center?
the object never gets closer to the center because of the inertia of the object as well as an the tangential velocity
describe the objects velocity going in a circle
the velocity stays the same but the direction changes
The more _______ an object has, then the more Inertia(resistant to changing its motion) it possesses.
Mass
A car moving in a circle at a constant speed of 30 mi/hr is _____________. why?
accelerating since there is a change in velocity
An object moving in uniform circular commotion will have a large acceleration if it is ___________.
turning at a rapid rate
