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General Physics 1
Quarter 1 – Module 11
CIRCULAR MOTION
STEM-General Physics 1 – Grade 12
Quarter 1 – Module 11: Circular Motion

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

Development Team of the Module

Writer: Rona A. Despabiladeras

Editors: Benjie L. Cadag

Voltaire G. Furio
Alex Barrameda
Edgardo J. Bungcag

Reviewers: Benjie L. Cadag

Voltaire G. Furio
Alex Barrameda
Edgardo J. Bungcag

Language Editor: Ronnalyn N. Jalmasco

Layout Artist: Ma. Rachel B. Espino, Antonio L. Morada

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Infer quantities associated with circular
motion such as tangential velocity,
centripetal acceleration, tangential
acceleration, radius of curvature
(STEM_GP12KIN-Ic-25)

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 CIRCULAR MOTION

In the previous lessons, you have learned about

one-dimensional and two-dimensional motion. You
have understood speed, velocity, acceleration and
other concepts related to motion. This module will help
you gain more insights on the different concepts
associated with circular motion, as well as applications
of these concepts.

At the end of this module, you are expected to:

• differentiate uniform from non-uniform circular motion;
• infer quantities associated with circular motion such
as tangential velocity, centripetal acceleration,
tangential acceleration, and radius of curvature; and
• solve problems on uniform and non-uniform circular
motion.

PRE-TEST
Directions: Read each item carefully then choose the letter of
the correct answer from the options. Write the letter only in your
answer sheet.

______ 1. Which of the following statements about uniform circular motion is NOT true?
A. A body in uniform circular motion experiences centripetal acceleration.
B. A body in uniform circular motion has constant or uniform speed.
C. A body in uniform circular motion has varying speed.
D. A body in uniform circular motion does not have a constant velocity.

______ 2. In a uniform circular motion, what is the direction of acceleration?

A. towards the center of the circle B. away from the center of the circle
C. tangent to any point on the circle D. same direction with the moving body

______ 3. Which statement about tangential acceleration is true?

A. It is directed towards the center of the circle.
B. It is perpendicular to the velocity of the moving body.
C. It is present in uniform circular motion.
D. It is present in non-uniform circular motion.

______ 4. A car traveling at a constant speed of 20 m/s has a centripetal acceleration of

5 m/s2 as it takes a turn around a circular path. What is the radius of the circular
path?
A. 20 m B. 80 m C. 40 m D. 50 m

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______ 5. A car moving at 10 m/s takes a turn around a circle with a radius of 25 m. What is
the centripetal acceleration of the car?
A. 10 m/s2 B. 5 m/s2 C. 4 m/s2 D. 3 m/s2

Did you find the questions easy? These are

just some of the concepts you will learn in this
module. Read the succeeding discussions and
answer the different tasks prepared for you.

Have you ever been to an amusement park?

Amusement parks feature various attractions such as
rides and games as well as other events for entertainment
purposes. Kids particularly love the exciting carnival rides.
Let us see how familiar you are with some
common rides. Can you name each of the illustration
below? You may choose your answers from the given
options.

Tilt-A-Whirl Merry-Go-Round Round Up Ferris Wheel

1. ______________________________ 2. ______________________________

________________________________
3. ______________________________

3________________________________ 4. ___________________________

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 Were you able to name the rides correctly?
Have you noticed the similarities among these
rides? You got it, all of them move in a circular
path!
The activities and discussions in this
module focus on bodies moving in circular paths.
You will learn important concepts such as
tangential velocity, centripetal acceleration,
tangential acceleration, and a lot more.

Read and analyze the situation below.

A girl is riding a horse on a carnival ride.

The distance from the base of the horse to the
center of the carnival ride is 3 m. The ride is
moving at a constant speed and one complete
rotation takes 6 seconds.

1. After one complete rotation of the ride, what

is the total distance traveled by the girl from her
original position? ___________
2. What is the speed of the horses on the
carnival ride with respect to the ground?
__________
3. If the speed of the carnival ride is constant, does it have a constant velocity? Explain.
_________________________________________________________________________

Carnival rides are examples of bodies in circular

motion. Circular motion refers to the motion along the
circumference of a circle or rotation along a circular path.
When a body moves in a circular path with a constant or
uniform speed, the motion is called uniform circular motion.
If it moves with a varying speed, it is called non-uniform
circular motion.
In solving problems related to circular motion, the
equations you have learned in the previous modules are
very important. Try to answer the problems below.

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Read and analyze the following situations:

1. A girl is jogging at a uniform speed of 1.5 m/s in a

circular track with a radius of 100 m.
a. Does the girl jog with constant speed?
_____________________________
b. Does the girl jog with constant velocity?
_____________________________ 10 m
c. If the girl made one complete round along
the circular path, what is the total distance
that she jogged? _______________

d. How long would it take the girl to jog one

completen round?__________________

2. A car is moving at 10 m/s along a semi-circular

curve with a radius of 40 m.
a. Does the car move with a constant
velocity? __________
b. If the curve is a semi-circle, what is the
total distance traveled by the car from the
start to the end of the curve? __________
c. How long did the car travel from the start
to the end of the curve? __________

CIRCULAR MOTION

When a body moves in a circular path, it is in circular

motion. Examples of circular motion include an artificial satellite
orbiting the Earth at a constant height, a ceiling fan's blades
rotating around a hub, a stone which is tied to a rope and is being swung in circles or a car
turning through a curve in a race track.

If a body in circular motion moves at a constant or uniform speed, the motion is

called uniform circular motion. When moving in a circle, an object traverses a distance
around the perimeter of the circle. The distance of one complete cycle around the perimeter
of a circle is known as the circumference.

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 v = distance = circumference
time time
The circumference of any circle can be computed using the radius according to the
equation
C = 2πR

Combining the equations above will lead to a new equation relating the speed of the
moving body in uniform circular motion to the radius of the
circle and the time to make one cycle around the circle
(period).

2πR
v=
T
where R represents the radius of the circle and T
represents the period.

While the speed of the body in a uniform circular

motion is constant, its velocity is changing. Velocity, being
a vector, has a constant magnitude but a changing
direction. As the object rounds the circle, the direction of Figure 1. Directions of v and a
the velocity vector is different than it was the instant before.
So while the magnitude of the velocity vector may be constant, the direction of the velocity
vector is changing. The direction of the velocity vector is tangential, which means that at any
instant, it is in the direction of a tangent line drawn to the circle at the object's location.

An object moving in a circle is experiencing an acceleration. Even if moving around

the perimeter of the circle with a constant speed, there is still a change in velocity and
subsequently an acceleration. This acceleration is directed towards the center of the circle,
and called centripetal acceleration, from the Greek words which mean “center-seeking”. The
acceleration of an object moving in a circle can be determined by either of these two
equations

v2 4 π2R
ac = ac =
R T2
where ac is the centripetal acceleration, v is the velocity, T is the period, and R is the radius.

According to Newton's second law of motion, an object which experiences an

acceleration must also be experiencing a net force. The direction of the net force is in the
same direction as the acceleration. So for an object moving in a circle, there must be an
inward force acting upon it in order to cause its inward acceleration. The net force is given by
the following equations:
v2 4 π2R
Fnet = ma Fnet = m Fnet = m
R T2

where m is the mass, v is the velocity, R is the radius, and T is the period.

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 Circular motion does not always have a
constant speed. A body moving in a circle can speed
up or slow down, showing an acceleration in the
direction of motion. In non-uniform circular motion,
there is tangential acceleration in addition to
centripetal acceleration. The direction of tangential
acceleration is tangent to the circle whereas the
direction of centripetal acceleration is radially inward
towards the center of the circle. Tangential
acceleration is simply the derivative of the velocity at
any given point. Figure 2. Directions of ac and at

Δv dv
at = =
Δt dt

I am sure that at this point, you have

already gained a better understanding of uniform
and non-uniform circular motion. Now, take a look
at your answers in the previous activities. Did you
get the correct answers?
It’s time to do more. The succeeding
activities will further test your understanding of
circular motion.

Let us now apply what you have learned in the discussions on

circular motion by solving problems. Be guided by the given
examples.

Example # 1: Passengers on a carnival ride move at a constant speed in a horizontal circle

of radius 6 m, making a complete circle in 5 s. What is their acceleration?

Solution: The speed is constant so this is a uniform circular motion. We are given that
R = 6 m and T = 5 s.

4 π2R 4 π2(6m)
ac = = = 9.47 m/s2
T2 (5s)2

Example # 2: A 1,000 kg car moving at a constant speed of 10 m/s takes a turn around a
circle with a radius of 30 m. Determine the acceleration and the net force on the car.

Solution: We are given that m = 1,000 kg, v = 10 m/s, and R = 30 m.

v2 (10m/s)2
ac = = = 3.33 m/s2
R 30 m

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 Fnet = ma = (1,000 kg) (3.33 m/s2) = 3,330 N

Example # 3: A car driver enters a curve at 10 m/s and speeds up, increasing the speed to
20 m/s in 5 s. Find the tangential acceleration of the car.

Solution: We are given that vf = 20 m/s, vi = 10 m/s and t = 5 s.

Δv 20 m/s – 10 m/s
at = = = 2 m/s2
Δt 5s

1. A body is moving with a constant speed along a circular path with a radius of 20 m. If it
covers the entire path in 10 s, what is its acceleration?
2. A jet is flying at a constant speed of 134 m/s along a straight line and makes a turn along
a circular path level with the ground. What should be the radius of the circle to produce a
centripetal acceleration of 10 m/s2?
3. A flywheel has a radius of 0.4 m. What is the speed of a point on the edge of the flywheel
it it experiences a cetripetal acceleration of 5 m/s2?
4. A 10-ton truck moving at a constant speed of 15 m/s takes a turn around a circular path
with a radius of 40 m. Determine the acceleration and the net force on the car.

5. A body enters a curve at 4 m/s. What must its final speed be after 5 seconds to have a
tangential acceleration of 5 m/s2?

6. A car traveling at 15 m/s increases its speed to 20 m/s in 2.5 seconds while rounding a
curve. Find its tangential acceleration.

7. A car enters a curve with a tangential acceleration of 3 m/s2. If it attains a speed of 15 m/s
in 3 seconds, what is its initial speed?

Answer the following problems.

1. A racecar moving at a constant speed of 60 m/s takes one lap around a circular track in
40 seconds. What is its centripetal acceleration?

2. An 50kg athlete runs at a constant speed of 5 m/s in a circular track with a radius of 100
m. How long will it take the athlete to finish one cycle around the track? What is the
centripetal acceleration of the athlete? What is the magnitude of the net force on the athlete?

3. A truck enters a curve with a speed of 20 m/s. If it accelerates at 4 m/s 2, what will be its
speed after 3 seconds?

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POST TEST

Read each item carefully and choose the letter of the best answer. Write it in your answer
sheet.

______ 1. Which of the following statements describes a body in uniform circular motion?
A. It experiences tangential acceleration.
B. It has varying speed.
C. It has a constant velocity.
D. It has a constant speed.

______ 2. What is the direction of tangential acceleration?

A. towards the center of the circle B. away from the center of the circle
C. tangent to any point on the circle D. opposite direction with the moving body

______ 3. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Centripetal acceleration is present both in uniform and non-uniform circular
motion.
B. Tangential acceleration is present both in uniform and non-uniform circular
motion.
C. Tangential acceleration is directed towards the center of the circle.
D. Centripetal acceleration is directed away from the center of the circle.

______ 4. Which of the following is NOT constant in uniform circular motion?

A. speed B. velocity C. acceleration D. period

______ 5. A car runs at a constant speed on a circular track of radius 100 m taking 20
seconds on each lap. What is the centripetal acceleration of the car?
A. 5 m/s2 B. 9.9 m/s2 C. 0.2 m/s2 D. 20 m/s2

______ 6. An object that moves in uniform circular motion has an acceleration of 5 m/s2. If
the radius of the path is 0.5 m, what is the speed of the object?
A. 5 m/s B. 0.5 m/s C. 2.5 m/s D. 1.58 m/s

______ 7. A body moving in a circular path has a constant speed of 6 m/s and an
acceleration of 2 m/s2. What is the radius of the circular path?
A. 12 m B. 24 m C. 36 m D. 18 m

______ 8. A car traveling at 20 m/s slowed down upon entering a circular curve and attained
a speed of 10 m/s in 4 seconds. What is its tangential acceleration?
A. -2.5 m/s2 B. 2 m/s2 C. 5 m/s2 D. -5 m/s2
______ 9. What is the tangential velocity of a body moving in a circular path with a radius of
10 m if it completes one lap in 5 seconds?
A. 2 m/s B. 15 m/s C. 12.56 m/s D. 1.36 m/s

______ 10. An object enters a circular path with a speed of 8 m/s. If its tangential
acceleration is 3 m/s2, how long will it take to attain a speed of 20 m/s?
A. 1 s B. 2 s C. 3 s D. 4 s

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VOCABULARY

The following terms used in this module are defined as follows:

Circular motion – the movement of a body along the circumference of a circle or rotation
along a circular path.

Uniform circular motion – the motion of a body in a circular path with a constant or uniform
speed.

Non-uniform circular motion – the motion of a body in a circular path with varying speed.

Radius of curvature – the radius of the circular path traveled by a moving body.

Period – the time to make one cycle around the circular path.

Centripetal force – the inward force acting on a body moving in a circular path. It points
towards the center around which the body is moving.

Centripetal acceleration – the acceleration experienced while in circular motion. It is

always directed towards the axis of rotation and is perpendicular to the velocity of the
moving body.

Tangential velocity – the velocity along the edge of the circular path measured at any
arbitrary point in time whose direction at any given point on the circle is always along the
tangent to that point.

Tangential acceleration – the measure of how quickly tangential velocity changes in a non-
uniform circular motion.

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Key to Correction
PRE-TEST
1. C 2. A 3. D 4. B 5. C

ELICIT
1. Ferris Wheel
2. Merry-Go-Round
3. Tilt-A-Whirl
4. Round-Up

ENGAGE
1. 18.84 m
2. 3.14 m/s
3. No. The carnival ride is in circular motion so the direction of its velocity changes.

EXPLORE
1. a. Yes b. No C. 628 m D. 418.67 s
2. a. No b. 125.6 m C. 12.56 s

ELABORATE
1.) 7.9 m/s2
2.) 1,795.6 m
3.) 1.41 m/s
4.) ac = 5.625 m/s2 Fnet = 56,250 N
5.) 29 m/s
6.) 2 m/s2
7.) 6 m/s

EXTEND
1.) 9.42 m/s2
2.) T = 125.6 s ac = 0.25 m/s2 Fnet = 12.5 N
3.) 32 m/s

EVALUATE
1. D 3. A 5. B 7. D 9. C
2. C 4. B 6. D 8. A 10. D

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REFERENCES:

Cutnell, J. D. and Johnson, K. W. (2009). Physics 8th Edition. USA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Freepik. (2020). Carnival Rides Image. Retrieved on July 1, 2020 from

https:www.freepik.com

Hewitt, Paul G. (2006). Conceptual Physics 6th Edition. USA: Pearson Education, Inc.

IStock. (2020). Merry Go Round Pictures. Retrieved on July 1, 2020 from istockphoto.com

IStock. (2020). Ferris Wheel Pictures. Retrieved on July 1, 2020 from istockphoto.com

Physics Classroom. (n.d.). Circular Motion. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 from https://www.
physicsclassroom.com/class/circles

Physicsnet. (n.d.). Circular Motion. Retrieved on July 15, 2020 from

http://physicsnet.co.uk/a- level-physics-as-a2/further-mechanics/circular-motion/

Young, H. D. et al. (2009). University Physics with Modern Physics 12th Edition. Singapore:
Pearson Education South Asia Pte Ltd.

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