Mapúa Institute of Technology

Department of Physics

Experiment 106
Uniform Circular Motion

Name: ESPIRITU, Arthur G.

Program/Year: CHE – 2
Course Code/Section: PHY10L –B5
Student No.: 2009103666
Group No.: 2 Seat No.: GRADE
Date of Performance: August 14, 2010
Date of Submission: September 4, 2010

Engr. Bernard Aguirre

Instructor
Problems
 1. A ball rotates in a horizontal circle at a constant speed of 10 m/s. What are the
tensions in the upper and lower strings? The mass of the ball is 3 kg.
v=10 m/s r =1.66 m
m=3 kg=3000 g
T A≈TB
2.5
cos θ= Σ F x =T A sin θ+T B sin θ=ma
3
2.5 v2
θ=cos−1 2 T sin θ=m
3 r
θ=33.56 ° (10 m/s)2
2 T sin ( 33.56 ° )=3 kg ( ¿ )¿
1.66 m
r =√ (3 m)2−(2.5 m)2 T A=163.66 N
r =√ 2.75 m2 T B=163.66 N

 The tensions in the upper and lower strings are both 163.66 N.

2. What angle of bank is necessary for a car to make it around a 130 m curve at a speed
of 60 kph without relying on friction?

r =130 m v2
tanθ=
v=60 kph=16.67 m/s rg
(16.67 m/s)2
θ=tan −1
( 130 m ) (9.8 m/ s2 )
θ=12.30°
 The angle of the bank should be 12.30° to make the necessary turn.

3. Determine the speed of the satellite orbiting at a height of 700 km above the Earth’s
surface.
mass of earth = 5.98 x 1024 kg
radius of earth = 6.38 x 106 m
h=700 km=700 , 000 m G me G me
m e =5.98 x 1024 kg
r e =6.38 x 10 6 m
v=
√ √ re
≈
¿¿
¿

( 6.67 x 10−11 ) (5.98 x 1024)

v=
√( 700 ,000 )+(6.38 x 106 )
v=7 , 505.80 m/ s
 The speed of the satellite orbiting the earth is 7, 505.80 m/s.

Interpretation of Results
 The experiment tends to study the uniform circular motion. Uniform circular motion
describes the motion of a body traversing a circular path at constant speed. Though the
body's speed is constant, its velocity is not constant: velocity, a vector quantity, depends on
both the body's speed and its direction of travel. This changing velocity indicates the
presence of acceleration; this centripetal acceleration is of constant magnitude and
directed at all times towards the axis of rotation. This acceleration is produced by a
centripetal force which is also constant in magnitude and directed towards the axis of
rotation.

To explain uniform circular motion, a three-part experiment is done to demonstrate

the principles behind it. It will determine the value of centripetal force from different
radius of rotation (with constant mass of rotating body) and from different mass of rotating
body (with constant radius of rotation). It will also determine the mass of the rotating body
using variable force (with constant radius). It also has the following objectives: to quantify
the centripetal force on the body when one of the parameters is held constant, and to verify
the effects of varying the factors involved in circular motion.

Horizontal circular type of motion is considered in this experiment. So, the first
thing we did was to balance the rotating platform to make a horizontal. Doing this will
neglect the effect of gravity in the circular motion specifically the velocity of the rotating
body.

The first part of the experiment is about the determination of the centripetal force
(with constant mass of rotating body and variable radius of rotation). The actual value of
the centripetal force is known to compare with the result of the experiment. Based on the
experiment, the centripetal forces are almost the same having in mind that the radius of
rotation is changing. This is so happened because as the radius of rotation changes the
period of rotation also changes as well as the frequency of rotation. Meaning, the frequency
is dependent on the radius. The variable radius will not affect the centripetal force because
there is another parameter that is also changing. The product of the changing variables will
be the same for every change given to one variable since they are dependent to each other
and therefore will not affect the centripetal force. With one parameter held constant which
is the mass of the rotating body, the variable radius will not have any effect on the
centripetal force.

The second part is also about the determination of the centripetal force (in this time,
with constant radius of rotation and variable mass of rotating body). Based on the
experiment, the centripetal forces are still almost the same taking note that the mass of
rotating body is changing. Also, frequency will be dependent on the change happening on
the mass of rotating body. Their product will also be the same for any change since one is
dependent to the other one. Therefore, the variable mass of rotating body will not affect the
value of centripetal force.

The last part is about the determination of the mass of rotating body (with constant
radius of rotation and variable centripetal force). Based on the experiment, the
experimental values of the mass of rotating body is almost the same with the actual mass of
rotating body having in mind that the centripetal forces vary. Also, as the centripetal forces
vary, the frequency also varies and will cancel out the effect of varying the force. Therefore,
it will not affect the value of the mass of the rotating body.

With one parameter held constant, the varying factors will not affect the other
factors because frequency will neglect the effects of such factors. If the varying factors
affect other, there will be no more uniform circular motion to take place. Since constant
speed is applied, and one parameter is held constant, the result of the other factors will be
in uniform.