Quan Graham
Physics
Mr.Mechail
Circular motion is the motion of an object that moves at a fixed distance from a point. It’s
also the movement of an object along the circumference of a circle. Circular motion is
accelerated even if the angular rate of rotation is constant. This happens because the velocity
vector of the object is constantly changing its direction. The change in the direction of velocity is
caused by the acceleration of the moving object.
An object that undergoes circular motion moves with a constant speed. The direction of
the acceleration is always inwards. The final motion characteristic for an object undergoing
circular motion is the net force. The net force that acts on the object is directed towards the
center of the circle. The net force is inward (centripetal force). Without inward force, an object
would continue in a straight line, never deviating from its direction.
There are a few circular motion formulas that one must follow. This is the formula for
angular velocity:
. The speed of an object traveling the circle is
θ swept out in a time t is
.
. The angle
The final formula is the acceleration due to the
change in direction, which is a= v2/r.
This may come to be a surprise, but circular motion also takes place in amusement parks.
It mostly occurs during roller coaster rides. Roller coasters and circular motion are both
characterized by rapid changes in speed and or direction. Roller coasters have very large
accelerations. Rides such as the carousel have small accelerations; the speed and direction of the
riders change gradually.
Like mentioned in the previous paragraph, the roller coaster is a real life application of
circular motion. A curved path such as a train track is also considered to be one. A very simple
example is a car rounding an oval at a constant speed. The collision of two objects is a great
example of circular motion. The objects experience a force for a given amount of time, which
results in its mass undergoing a change in velocity.
http://www.physics247.com/physics-help/circular-motion.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_motion
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/circmot/ucm.cfm
http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/glossary.html
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Application_of_circular_motion_in_real_life_situation\
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/momentum/u4l1c.cfm