Circular Motion

Tangential & Angular Acceleration

vt
• Tangential Acceleration:
The arc length s is related to the angle θ (in radians = rad)
as follows: s = r θ
The tangential velocity vt is related to the angular velocity
ω as follows:
vt = rω
Tangential
Velocity

The tangential acceleration at is related to the angular acceleration α as follows:

dvt dω v = r ω Δω dω
at = =r = rα α = lim =
t

(radians/s2) at
dt dt Δt →0 Δt dt
Radial Axis
• Overall Acceleration:
ar
r r r
atot = aradial + at = −aradial rˆ + atθˆ Tangential
Acceleration
r

r
atot = atot = aradial
2
+ at2 Radial
Acceleration
 Angular Equations of Motion
• Angular Equations of Motion (constant α):
If the angular acceleration α is constant then
α (t ) = α (radians/s2) at (t ) = rα (m/s2)

ω (t ) = ω0 + αt (radians/s) vt (t ) = vt 0 + at t (m/s)

θ (t ) = θ 0 + ω0t + 12 αt 2 (radians) s (t ) = s0 + vt 0t + at t1
2
2
(m)

ω 2 (t ) − ω02 = 2α (θ (t ) − θ 0 ) v t2 (t ) − vt20 = 2at (s (t ) − s0 )

a
aradial (t ) = v t (t ) / r
t
aradial (t ) = rω (t ) (m/s )
2 2
2 (m/s2)
Radial Axis

ar
Tangential r
Acceleration
Radial
Acceleration
 Angular Equations of Motion
• Angular Equations of Motion (constant α):
θ (t )
Let N = Number of revolutions (rev) N (t ) =
2π
ω (t )
Let f = Number of revolutions per second f (t ) = (frequency)
2π

α
α (t ) = α (rad/s2) 2π
(rev/s2)

ω (t ) = ω0 + αt (rad/s) f (t ) = f 0 + ( 2απ )t (rev/s)

θ (t ) = θ 0 + ω0t + 12 αt 2 (rad) N (t ) = N 0 + f 0t + ( )t 1
2
α
2π
2
(rev)

ω 2 (t ) − ω02 = 2α (θ (t ) − θ 0 ) f 2 (t ) − f 02 = 2( 2απ )( N (t ) − N 0 )
 Angular Equations: Examples
• A disk rotates about its central axis starting from rest at t = 0 and
accelerates with constant angular acceleration. At one time it is
rotating at 4 rev/s; 60 revolutions later, its angular speed is 16 rev/s.
Starting at t = 0, what is the time required to complete 64 revolutions?
α f 2 (t ) − f 02 (16rev / s ) 2 − (4rev / s ) 2 Answer: t = 8 seconds
= = = 2rev / s 2
2π 2( N (t ) − N 0 ) 2(60rev )
2( N (t ) − N 0 ) 2(64rev)
N (t ) − N 0 = ( )t1 α 2 t= = = 8s
2 2π ( 2απ ) (2rev / s 2 )

• An astronaut is being tested in a centrifuge. The centrifuge has a

radius R and, in starting from rest at t = 0, rotates with a constant
angular acceleration α = 0.25 rad/s2 . At what time t > 0 is the
magnitude of the tangential acceleration equal to the magnitude of
the radial acceleration (i.e. centripetal acceleration)?
aradial (t ) = Rω 2 (t ) = Rα 2t 2 = at = Rα Answer: t = 2 seconds
1 1
t= = = 2s
α 0.25rad / s 2
 Exam 2 Spring 2011: Problem 2
• A race car accelerates uniformly from a speed of 40 m/s to
a speed of 58 m/s in 6 seconds while traveling around a
circular track of radius 625 m. When the car reaches a
speed of 50 m/s what is the magnitude of its total
acceleration (in m/s2)?
Answer: 5
% Right: 49%
v2 − v1 (58m / s ) − (40m / s )
at = = = 3m / s
t 2 − t1 6s
v 2 (50m / s ) 2
ar = = = 4m / s
R 625m
atot = at2 + ar2 = 5m / s
 Gravitation: Circular Orbits (M >> m)
For circular orbits the gravitational force is perpendicular to the
velocity and hence the speed of the mass m is constant. The force
Fg is equal to the mass times the radial (i.e. centripetal) M v
acceleration as follows: r Fg m
GmM v2 GM
Fg = = ma radial = m = mrω 2
r = (radius of the orbit, constant)
r2 r v2
GM Assume M >> m so that the
v= (speed, constant) position of M is fixed!
r
GM For circular orbits r, v, and
ω= (angular velocity, constant)
r3 ω are also constant.
2πr r r3
T= = 2πr = 2π (period of rotation)
In general both masses rotate
v GM GM about the center-of-mass and the
formulas are more complicated!

• Kepler’s Third Law:

M vm
4π r
2 3
The period squared is Fg
T2 = proportional to the radius cubed.
CM
× m
GM rM rm
VM
 Circular Orbits: Example
• Two satellites are in circular orbit around the Earth. The first satellite
has mass M1 and is travelling in a circular orbit of radius R1. The
second satellite has mass M2 = M1 is travelling in a circular orbit of
radius R2 = 4R1. If the first satellite completes one revolution of the
Earth in time T, how long does it take the second satellite to make one
revolution of the Earth? Answer: 8T

4π 2 3
R1 4π 2 3
R 4π 2
( 4 R ) 3
4π 2 3
R1
T12 = T2 =
2 2
= 1
= 64 = 64T12
GM 1 GM 2 GM 1 GM 1

T2 = 8T1 = 8T
 Circular Orbits: Example
• Two diametrically opposed masses m revolve around a
circle of radius R. A third mass M = 2m is located at the m
M = 2m
m
center of the circle. What is the period T of rotation for R
this system of three masses? 3
Answer: T =
4π R
3 Gm

GmM Gm 2 Gm 2
= 2 (M + 14 m ) = maradial = m
v F M = 2m
Fgrav = 2
+ 2
m m
R (2 R) R R R

G ( M + 14 m)
v=
R

2πR R R 4R 4π R3
T= = 2πR = 2πR = 2πR =
v G ( M + 14 m) G (2m + 14 m) 9Gm 3 Gm