Assignment #2

Subject Name: Mechanics

Topic Name: Dynamics of Uniform Circular Motion, The Conical Pendulum
Course Code: phy-303
Submitted to: Sir Asif Nawaz
Submitted by: Group #1 (751, 752, 753, 802, 803, 804, 805)
Date: 01-01-2020

GCUF Layyah Campus

Dynamics of Circular Motion
Circular motion can be both uniform and non-uniform. If the tangential component of
acceleration is absent, it will be uniform circular motion, and if the tangential component of
acceleration is present, it will be non-uniform circular motion. In case of non-uniform circular
motion, the net acceleration of the particle is the resultant of radial acceleration and tangential
acceleration.

Now, suppose you are in an inertial frame of reference and you are observing a particle in
circular motion. The net force on the particle must be non-zero according to the second law of
motion, since the particle has some acceleration. Let’s take the case of uniform circular motion.
The speed of the particle is constant, and the acceleration of the particle towards the center is
v2/r.
Let the mass of the particle be m. From the second law of Newton, we can say that
F = ma
F = mv2/r
This force is directed towards center and is therefore known as centripetal force. This
centripetal force is required to keep the object in uniform circular motion. This is just the name
given to this type of force and this centripetal force can arise from tension, friction, etc.

Circular Turnings on Roads

When a vehicle turns on roads, they travel along a circular arc. The only forces acting on the
vehicle are:
1.Weight Mg
2. Normal reaction force N
3. Friction
If the road is horizontal, the first two forces must be in vertical direction. Therefore, only force
which can provide the radial acceleration for turning is friction. In this case, force of friction acts
as the centripetal force.
fs = Mv2/r
Since there is a limit to the maximum value of friction, for a safe turn,
mv2r≤µsN
where,
µs = coefficient of static friction
Uniform circular motion is the motion of an object traveling at a constant speed on a circular
path.
Let T be the time it takes for the object to travel once around the circle.
v = 2πr/T
Example 1: A Tire-Balancing Machine
The wheel of a car has a radius of 0.29m and it being rotated at 830 revolutions per minute on a
tire-balancing machine. Determine the speed at which the outer edge of the wheel is moving.

The Conical Pendulum

Suppose that an object, mass m, is attached to the end of a light inextensible string whose other end is
attached to a rigid beam. Suppose, further, that the object is given an initial horizontal velocity such that
it executes a horizontal circular orbit of radius r with angular velocity omega. Let h be the vertical
distance between the beam and the plane of the circular orbit, and let θ be the angle subtended by the
string with the downward vertical.
The object is subject to two forces: the gravitational force mg which acts vertically downwards, and the
tension force T which acts upwards along the string. The tension force can be resolved into a component
T cos θ which acts vertically upwards, and a component T sin θ which acts towards the center of the
circle. Force balance in the vertical direction yields

T cos θ = mg

In other words, the vertical component of the tension force balances the weight of the object. Since the
object is executing a circular orbit, radius r, with angular velocity ω, it experiences a centripetal
acceleration ω2r. Hence, it is subject to a centripetal force m ω2r This force is provided by the
component of the string tension which acts towards the center of the circle. In other words,

T sin θ = m ω2r

Taking the ratio.

Tan θ = ω2r/g

However, by simple trigonometry,

Tan θ = r/h

Hence, we find