Circular Motion 1

Circular Motion
 Circular Motion 2

Introduction

The purpose of this experiment is to examine the behaviour of objects travelling in

circular trajectories and the influences on this motion. The lab was conducted by experimenting

with a cork attached to the string while the other end of the string consists of masses (50g, 100g,

150g, 200g), the cork is then spun around using a plastic tube. The variables that have changed

throughout this experiment are the masses and the radius of the string. By changing the variables,

we are able to establish the relationship between the centripetal force, mass, velocity, and radius

of the circular path which are all related to the equation:

F = mv^2/r (Centripetal force 2012 - university of notre dame)

F = Centripetal force (N)

m = mass of the object (kg)

v = tangential speed (m/s)

r = radius of circular path (m)

Hypothesis

The radius of the circle and the strength of the centripetal force affects the speed of the

object that is moving in a circular motion. The speed required for the object to be moving in a

circle becomes faster as the centripetal force increases but the speed required to keep moving in a

circle reduces as the radius increases. This indicates that centripetal force is inversely

proportional to the radius. However, it would be the complete opposite for mass, as mass

increases, the speed required to move in a circle increases as well. Which indicates that

centripetal force is directly proportional to mass.

List of Materials
 Circular Motion 3

● Metre Ruler

● String

● Cork (22g)

● Crocodile Clip

● Plastic Tube

● Stopwatch

● Mass Hanger (50g)

● 3 x Mass Circles (each is 50g)

● 3 x Goggles

Diagram
 Circular Motion 4

Figure 1.1 Lab Apparatus

Figure 1.2 Experiment in Motion

Procedure

1. Measure the mass of the masses, cork and mass hook using an electronic balance.

2. Attach the cork to one end of the string, then place the hollow tube through the string.

3. Use a metre ruler to determine the length that the experiment will be rotating in. (Minimum

length 50cm) Then use a crocodile clip to keep the hollow tube in place. (Refer to Figure 1.2)

4. The plastic tube is then held and spun in a circular motion. This was carried out up until the

crocodile clip's distance from the hollow tube remained constant.

 Circular Motion 5

5. Then use a stopwatch to indicate the time it took for 10 oscillations

6. Steps 4 - 5 are then repeated 2 more times

7. After that, you will repeat the entire procedure from steps 3 - 6 but adding more mass onto the

mass hook

8. Afterwards repeat steps 3 - 7, changing the length of where the plastic tube will be stopping

Data

Starting String Line For 10 oscillations 50 ± 5cm

Mass Readings (s) Average Percentage Average Centripetal Centripetal

Centripetal ±0.005 R1 R2 R3 (s) Difference Occurrence

Speed Acceleration Force

kg % (m/s) (m/s2) (N)

 Circular Motion 6

0.05 7.88 8.59 8.91 8.46 12.17 1.18 3.71 27.53 1.38

0.10 5.28 6.19 6.31 5.93 17.37 1.69 5.31 56.39 5.64

0.15 5.19 4.91 5.10 5.06 19.76 1.98 6.22 77.38 11.61

0.20 4.87 4.31 4.19 4.46 15.25 2.24 7.04 99.12 19.82

0.25 3.64 4.25 4.28 4.06 15.76 2.46 7.73 119.51 29.88

Table 1.1 Circular Motion 1 Data See Appendix A

Starting String Line For 10 oscillations 55 ± 5cm

Mass Readings (s) Average Percentage Average Centripetal Centripetal

Centripetal ±0.005 R1 R2 R3 (s) Difference Occurrence

Speed Acceleration Force

kg % (m/s) (m/s2) (N)

 Circular Motion 7

0.05 7.25 7.47 6.75 7.16 10.06 1.40 4.84 42.59 2.13

0.10 6.41 6.54 5.75 6.23 12.68 1.61 5.56 56.21 5.62

0.15 5.25 4.65 4.43 4.78 17.15 2.09 7.22 94.78 14.22

0.20 4.44 4.38 4.19 4.34 5.76 2.30 7.95 114.91 22.98

0.25 4.59 4.66 4.53 4.59 2.83 2.18 7.53 103.09 25.77

Table 1.2 Circular Motion 2 Data See Appendix A

Starting String Line For 10 oscillations 60 ± 5cm

Mass Readings (s) Average Percentage Average Centripetal Centripetal

Centripetal ±0.005 R1 R2 R3 (s) Difference Occurrence

Speed Acceleration Force

kg % (m/s) (m/s2) (N)

 Circular Motion 8

0.05 7.07 7.81 7.97 7.62 11.81 1.31 4.94 40.67 2.03

0.10 5.92 6.02 5.96 5.97 1.68 1.68 6.33 66.78 6.68

0.15 5.91 5.28 4.99 5.39 17.07 1.86 7.01 81.90 12.29

0.20 4.94 5.19 5.07 5.06 4.94 1.98 7.46 92.75 18.55

0.25 4.28 4.50 5.13 4.64 18.32 2.16 8.14 110.43 27.61

Table 1.3 Circular Motion 3 Data See Appendix A

Starting String Line For 10 oscillations 65 ± 5cm

Mass Readings (s) Average Percentage Average Centripetal Centripetal

Centripetal ±0.005 R1 R2 R3 (s) Difference Occurrence

Speed Acceleration Force

 Circular Motion 9

kg % (m/s) (m/s2) (N)

0.05 9.41 8.87 8.22 8.83 13.48 1.13 4.61 32.70 1.64

0.10 6.12 6.25 6.59 6.32 7.44 1.58 6.45 64.00 6.40

0.15 5.19 5.31 4.93 5.14 7.39 1.95 7.96 97.48 14.62

0.20 4.06 4.13 4.56 4.25 10.12 2.35 9.60 141.78 28.36

0.25 3.03 3.54 4.01 3.53 27.76 2.83 11.56 205.59 51.39

Table 1.4 Circular Motion 4 Data See

Appendix A

Graph
 Circular Motion 10

(Graph 1.1 Circular Motion 1 Centripetal Force (N) vs Masses (kg))

(Grap

h 1.2 Circular Motion 2 Centripetal Force (N) vs Masses (kg))

 Circular Motion 11

(Graph 1.3 Circular Motion 3 Centripetal Force (N) vs Masses (kg))

(Graph 1.4 Circular Motion 4 Centripetal Force (N) vs Masses (kg))

 Circular Motion 12

Analysis

Looking from tables 1.1 - 1.4, it shows values such as average, percentage difference,

average occurrence, centripetal speed, centripetal acceleration and centripetal force. All of these

calculation examples can be found in Appendix A.

Now looking at graphs 1.1 - 1.4 it shows that the relationship is positively linear which

indicates that it is directly proportional on the graphs. The trendline has the mathematical

formula y=mx+b. It is possible to conclude that the value of y would be the centripetal force, the

value of m would be the gravitational force, the value of x would be the mass, and the y-intercept

would be some sort of error because if it were a directly proportional relationship, it should start

at the origin. This conclusion can be drawn using knowledge based on the formula and our

theory along with theoretical calculations.

Conclusion

The centripetal force increases as mass increases. The tables include the information

necessary to substantiate this claim. Using Table 1.1 as an example, the centripetal force for a

hanging mass of 0.05 kg was determined to be 1.38 N, whereas the centripetal force for a

hanging mass of 0.25 kg was calculated to be 29.88 N. Now using graph 2.1 as a guide, notice

that the trendline is positively linear, indicating that as the hanging mass rises, so does the

estimated centripetal force. This demonstrates that what we said was true.
 Circular Motion 13

References

Centripetal force 2012 - university of notre dame. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from

https://www3.nd.edu/~hgberry/Fall2012/E5-Centripetal_Force-2012.pdf

Average formula: How to calculate average (calculator, Excel template). EDUCBA. (2023,

February 18). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.educba.com/average-formula/

Admin. (2020, September 16). Percent difference formula- how to calculate percentage

difference? BYJUS. Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://byjus.com/percent-difference-

formula/

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Centripetal acceleration. Encyclopædia Britannica.

Retrieved March 9, 2023, from https://www.britannica.com/science/centripetal-acceleration

Centripetal force. (n.d.). Retrieved March 9, 2023, from

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/cf.html#:~:text=Centripetal%20force%20%3D

%20mass%20x%20velocity2%20%2F%20radius
 Circular Motion 14

Appendix A

Average = total number / number of items in the set

(Average formula: How to calculate the average (calculator, Excel template) 2023)

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Average = (7.88 + 8.59 + 8.91) / 3

= 8.46

Percentage Difference = highest number - lowest number / average x 100

(Percent difference formula- how to calculate percentage difference? 2020)

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Percentage Difference = (8.91 - 7.88) / 8.46 x 100

= 12.17

Average Occurrences = Number of oscillations / time taken

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Average Occurrence = 10 / 8.46

= 1.18

Centripetal Velocity = 2 π r ⋅ Average occ . per time

(Centripetal force)

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Centripetal Velocity = 2 π r x 1.18

= 3.71
 Circular Motion 15

Centripetal Acceleration = Centripetal Velocity ^ square / radius

(Centripetal acceleration)

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Centripetal Acceleration = 3.71^2 / 0.50

= 27.53

Centripetal Force = Mass x Centripetal Acceleration

(Centripetal force 2012 - university of notre dame)

(Example Calculation From Table 1.1)

Centripetal Force = 0.05 x 27.53

= 1.38