PHY1121 / PHY151: Circular Motion

1) We will study uniform circular motion where the body is moving in a circle of fixed
radius with constant speed*.

2) If a body moves with constant speed v in a circle of fixed radius, its velocity v at any
point has a magnitude v and is directed at a tangent to the circle.

Figure 1: Body exhibiting uniform circular motion

3) From Figure 1, the magnitude of the velocity vectors are equal, namely

v A = vB = vC = vD

4) However the direction of the velocity vectors v A , v B , vC , v D change continuously.

5) The velocity at any point is perpendicular to the radius (vector) at that point.

NOTE :

* Speed (scalar quantity) : has only magnitude

Velocity (vector quantity) : has both magnitude and direction
6) Velocity is a vector with both magnitude and direction, and so a change in the direction
of the velocity vector, while keeping the magnitude constant, constitutes a change of
velocity. This indicates the existence of an acceleration called the centripetal
acceleration ( aA , aB , aC , aD ) and it is depicted in Figure 1.

7) The centripetal acceleration is directed radially inward towards centre of the circle.

8) The magnitude of the centripetal acceleration acentripetal is given as :

 v2 
acentripetal =  
 r 
where v is the constant speed of the body and r is the radius of the circle.

9) The magnitude of the centripetal force Fcentripetal is given as:

Fcentripetal = m acentripetal
Therefore

 mv 2 
Fcentripetal =  
 r 
The centripetal force ( FA , FB , FC , FD ) is also directed radially inward towards
centre of the circle as shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Centripetal force is directed radially inward towards centre of the circle.

10) The period of the rotational motion T is given as:

 2π r 
T = 
 v 
where v is the constant speed of the body and r is the radius of the circle.