GED0081 – College Physics 1

Uniform Circular
Motion
MPS Department | FEU Institute of Technology | 4.3
 Objectives

At the end of the lecture, the students must be able to:

• Define centripetal and centrifugal force.
• Determine the characteristics of an object travelling in UCM.
• Solve problems involving uniform circular motion.
• Uniform circular motion can be described as the
motion of an object in a circle at a constant
speed.

• As an object moves in a circle, it is constantly

changing its direction. At all instances, the https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm

object is moving tangent to the circle.

• Since the direction of the velocity vector is the

same as the direction of the object's motion, the
velocity vector is directed tangent to the circle
as well. https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm
• Always pointing inside the circular path.

• Any object moving in a circle (or along a circular path) experiences a centripetal
force. That is, there is some physical force pushing or pulling the object towards the
center of the circle.

• This is the centripetal force requirement. The word centripetal is merely an adjective
used to describe the direction of the force.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm
• As a car makes a turn, the force of friction • As a bucket of water is tied to a string and
acting upon the turned wheels of the car spun in a circle, the tension force acting
provides centripetal force required for upon the bucket provides the centripetal
circular motion. force required for circular motion.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm
• As the moon orbits the Earth, the force of
gravity acting upon the moon provides the
centripetal force required for circular motion.

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm

https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Class/circles/u6l1c.cfm