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SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

Subject: Physics Level: Y10 Online Lesson: 23
Date: 5.11.2021
Chapter/Topic: 5 Forces and Motion
Sub-topic : 5.14 Centripetal Force

Centripetal Force, Fc
1. Centripetal force is a force that acts on a body in a _______________________________________.
(Uniform circular motion means a body moves in a circle at _________________ speed)
2. The direction of the centripetal force (centripetal acceleration) is towards the ________________
of the circle.

Fc = __________________________________________
m = __________________________________________
v = __________________________________________
r = __________________________________________

Example 1
Zack whirls a stone of mass 0.15 kg with a cord of length (radius) of 1.2 m.
If the speed of the stone is 5.0 m s-1, what is the tension (centripetal force) in the cord?

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3. Relationship between the centripetal force, the mass of body, the speed of body and the radius of
the circulation motion.

Mass Speed Radius

Centripetal force, Fc
high low fast slow long short
High
Low

Example 2
A student is whirling a ball around in a horizontal circle at a steady speed.

String breaks

(a) A centripetal force is needed to make the ball travel in a circular path.
Name the force that supplies the centripetal force.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………..….

(b) Label the direction of the centripetal force.

(c) What would happen to the ball if the string breaks?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….

(d) Mark the direction of motion of the ball if the string breaks at point X.

(e) How does the centripetal force change if the radius of the circular motion is reduced?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….

Page 2 of 18
Practice Questions – Centripetal Force, Fc
1. The diagram below shows a toy car tied with a string and fixed at one end on the floor.
When it swings at the same length from the nail, the car moves in a circle.

Which of the following can explain the above situation?

A There is a force acts in opposite direction with the car’s weight.
B There is a force acts as centripetal.
C The is a force acts in the direction of movement.
D There is a force acts away from the centre of circle.

2. A boy whirling a stone horizontally.

What happen to the stone if the string suddenly breaks?

A Spiral away from his hand.
B Fly directly away from the boy.
C Fly directly towards the boy.
D Fly off and follow the tangent to its circular path.

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3. A rock is fastened to one end of a rope and rotated to form a circle as shown below.

When the rock reaches O and released, which way will the stone keep moving?
A OP C OR
B OQ D OS

4. The diagram below shows a tennis ball tied to a string being swung at a constant speed in a
horizontal circle. Which statement is correct about the motion of the ball?

A The ball is moving with constant velocity.

B The period of revolution of the ball changes continuously.
C The magnitude of the force acting on the ball changes continuously.
D The acceleration of the ball is directed towards the centre of the circle.

5. The diagram below shows a hammer throw athlete swinging an iron ball in a horizontal circle
before releasing it. What is the centripetal force that acts on the iron ball when the iron ball is
moving at a speed of 20 m s-1?

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6. An object of mass 500 g is fastened to a thread of length 100 cm and rotated in a horizontal circle
with a uniform speed of 5.0 m s-1. What is the tension of the thread?

7. An athlete spinning a 7 kg hammer in a sport. The diagram below shows the top view of the
spinning. If the hammer moves with constant velocity of 25 m s -1, calculate the centripetal force
that acts on the hammer.

8. A man-made satellite of mass 400 kg orbits the Earth with a radius of 8.2 x 106 m.
Linear speed of the satellite is 6.96 x103 m s-1.
What is the centripetal force acting on the satellite?

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9. A satellite with a mass of 2460 kg orbiting a planet at a distance of 2.74 x 10 7 m from the centre of
the planet. The linear speed of the satellite is 7800 m s -1.
Calculate
(a) the centripetal acceleration of the satellite

(b) the centripetal force of the satellite

10. A satellite of mass 1200 kg is placed in an orbit at a height of 3.56 X 107 m from the surface of the
Earth. The linear speed of the satellite is 3.09 X 10 3 m s-1.
Given that the radius of the Earth is 6.4 X 106 m.
(a) Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the satellite.

(b) Calculate the centripetal force of the satellite.

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11. A motorcycle goes round a corner.

(a) Name the force that provides the necessary centripetal force to the motorcycle.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

(b) How does the centripetal force change if the motorcycle

(i) has less mass?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
(ii) travels at a slower speed?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
(iii) travels round a smaller curve (smaller radius)?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....

12. The diagram below shows a model car moving clockwise around a horizontal circular track.
A force acts on the car to keep it moving in a circle.

(a) Draw an arrow to show the direction of this force.

(b) The car travels too fast and leaves the track at P.
Draw an arrow to show the direction of the travel after it has left the track.
Page 7 of 18
13. A car moves in a circular path as it turns a corner on a horizontal road.
The car moves at constant speed.

Which description of the forces acting on the car is correct?

A All the forces are balanced as the car is moving at constant speed.
B The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force acts away from the centre of the circle.
C The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force acts towards the centre of the circle.
D The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force is in the direction of travel of the car.

14. A girl swings a small mass on a rope around her head.

(a) Which force provides the centripetal force?

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………..
(b) In which direction does this force act?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..……..
(c) Describe the motion of the object if the rope is break at point X.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…..
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15. The diagram shows satellites around the Earth.

(a) What supplies the centripetal force needed for a satellite to orbit around the Earth?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..………….

(b) If the satellite were in a higher orbit, how would this affect its speed?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….

(c) If the satellite were in a higher orbit, how would this affect the centripetal force required?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

(d) Earth orbits the Sun.

What supplies the centripetal force needed for the Earth to orbit around the Sun?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

(e) Describe the motion of the satellite.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...

Page 9 of 18
 SERI OMEGA PRIVATE & INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Subject: Physics Level: Y10 Online Lesson: 23
Date: 5.11.2021
Chapter/Topic: 5 Forces and Motion
Sub-topic : 5.14 Centripetal Force

Centripetal Force, Fc
1. Centripetal force is a force that acts on a body in a uniform circular motion.
(Uniform circular motion means a body moves in a circle at constant speed)
2. The direction of the centripetal force (centripetal acceleration) is towards the centre of the circle.

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟

Fc = Centripetal force (N)

m = mass of the object (kg)
v = linear speed of the object (m/s)
r = radius of the circular path (m)

Example 1
Zack whirls a stone of mass 0.15 kg with a cord of length (radius) of 1.2 m.
If the speed of the stone is 5.0 m s-1, what is the tension (centripetal force) in the cord?

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟
0.15(5.0)2
=
1.2

= 3.125 𝑁

Page 10 of 18
3. Relationship between the centripetal force, the mass of body, the speed of body and the radius of
the circulation motion.

Mass Speed Radius

Centripetal force, Fc
high low fast slow long short
High √ √ √
Low √ √ √

Example 2
A student is whirling a ball around in a horizontal circle at a steady speed.

String breaks

Fc

X
v

(a) A centripetal force is needed to make the ball travel in a circular path.
Name the force that supplies the centripetal force.
Tension of the string

(b) Label the direction of the centripetal force.

(c) What would happen to the ball if the string breaks?

It will fly off at the tangent of the circular path and moves in a straight line.

(d) Mark the direction of motion of the ball if the string breaks at point X.

(e) How does the centripetal force change if the radius of the circular motion is reduced?
Increases

Page 11 of 18
Practice Questions – Centripetal Force, Fc
1. The diagram below shows a toy car tied with a string and fixed at one end on the floor.
When it swings at the same length from the nail, the car moves in a circle.

Which of the following can explain the above situation?

A There is a force acts in opposite direction with the car’s weight.
B There is a force acts as centripetal.
C The is a force acts in the direction of movement.
D There is a force acts away from the centre of circle.

2. A boy whirling a stone horizontally.

What happen to the stone if the string suddenly breaks?

A Spiral away from his hand.
B Fly directly away from the boy.
C Fly directly towards the boy.
D Fly off and follow the tangent to its circular path.

Page 12 of 18
3. A rock is fastened to one end of a rope and rotated to form a circle as shown below.

When the rock reaches O and released, which way will the stone keep moving?
A OP C OR
B OQ D OS

4. The diagram below shows a tennis ball tied to a string being swung at a constant speed in a
horizontal circle. Which statement is correct about the motion of the ball?

A The ball is moving with constant velocity.

B The period of revolution of the ball changes continuously.
C The magnitude of the force acting on the ball changes continuously.
D The acceleration of the ball is directed towards the centre of the circle.

5. The diagram below shows a hammer throw athlete swinging an iron ball in a horizontal circle
before releasing it. What is the centripetal force that acts on the iron ball when the iron ball is
moving at a speed of 20 m s-1?
𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟
7.2 (20)2
=
1.8

= 1600 𝑁

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6. An object of mass 500 g is fastened to a thread of length 100 cm and rotated in a horizontal circle
with a uniform speed of 5.0 m s-1. What is the tension of the thread?

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟
0.5 (5.0)2
=
1

= 12.5 𝑁

7. An athlete spinning a 7 kg hammer in a sport. The diagram below shows the top view of the
spinning. If the hammer moves with constant velocity of 25 m s -1, calculate the centripetal force
that acts on the hammer.

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟
7 (25)2
=
2

= 2188 𝑁

8. A man-made satellite of mass 400 kg orbits the Earth with a radius of 8.2 x 106 m.
Linear speed of the satellite is 6.96 x103 m s-1.
What is the centripetal force acting on the satellite?

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟
400 (6.96 × 103 )2
=
8.2 × 106

= 2363 𝑁

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9. A satellite with a mass of 2460 kg orbiting a planet at a distance of 2.74 x 107 m from the centre
of the planet. The linear speed of the satellite is 7800 m s -1.
Calculate
(a) the centripetal acceleration of the satellite
𝑣2
𝑎=
𝑟
(7800)2
=
2.74 × 107

= 2.22 𝑚/𝑠 2

(b) the centripetal force of the satellite

F = ma
= (2460)(2.22)
= 5461 N

10. A satellite of mass 1200 kg is placed in an orbit at a height of 3.56 X 107 m from the surface of the
Earth. The linear speed of the satellite is 3.09 X 10 3 m s-1.
Given that the radius of the Earth is 6.4 X 106 m.
(c) Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the satellite.

𝑣2
𝑎=
𝑟

(3.09 × 103 )2
=
(6.4 × 106 ) + (3.56 × 107 )

= 0.23 𝑚/𝑠 2
(d) Calculate the centripetal force of the satellite.

F = ma
= (1200)(0.23)
= 276 N

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11. A motorcycle goes round a corner.

(a) Name the force that provides the necessary centripetal force to the motorcycle.
Frictional force between the tyres and the surface of the floor.

(b) How does the centripetal force change if the motorcycle

(i) has less mass?
decreases
(ii) travels at a slower speed?
decreases
(iii) travels round a smaller curve (smaller radius)?
increases

12. The diagram below shows a model car moving clockwise around a horizontal circular track.
A force acts on the car to keep it moving in a circle.

FC

(a) Draw an arrow to show the direction of this force.

(b) The car travels too fast and leaves the track at P.
Draw an arrow to show the direction of the travel after it has left the track.
Page 16 of 18
13. A car moves in a circular path as it turns a corner on a horizontal road.
The car moves at constant speed.

Which description of the forces acting on the car is correct?

A All the forces are balanced as the car is moving at constant speed.
B The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force acts away from the centre of the circle.
C The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force acts towards the centre of the circle.
D The forces are unbalanced and the resultant force is in the direction of travel of the car.

14. A girl swings a small mass on a rope around her head.

(a) Which force provides the centripetal force?

Tension of the rope
(b) In which direction does this force act?
Towards the centre of the circular path.
(c) Describe the motion of the object if the rope is break at point X.
Fly off at the tangent of the circular path and move in a straight line.

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15. The diagram shows satellites around the Earth.

(a) What supplies the centripetal force needed for a satellite to orbit around the Earth?
Gravitational force of the Earth.

(b) If the satellite were in a higher orbit, how would this affect its speed?
Decreases

(c) If the satellite were in a higher orbit, how would this affect the centripetal force required?
Decreases

(d) Earth orbits around the Sun.

What supplies the centripetal force needed for the Earth to orbit around the Sun?
Gravitational force of the Sun

(e) Describe the motion of the satellite.

Moves in a circular path at a constant speed. (uniform circular motion)

Page 18 of 18