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Motion – Circular Motion

Filed Under: Physics

Circular motion is the motion of an object along a curved path that has a constant radius. For example, if one end of a string is tied to an object and the other end is held in the hand, the object can be swung in a circle. The object is constantly deflected from a straight (linear) path by the pull exerted on the string, as shown in Figure 3-26. When the weight is at point A, due to inertia it wants to keep moving in a straight line and end up at point B. Because of the force being exerted on the string, it is forced to move in a circular path and end up at point C.

Figure 3-26. Circular motion.
Figure 3-26. Circular motion.

The string exerts a centripetal force on the object, and the object exerts an equal but opposite force on the string, obeying Newton’s third law of motion. The force that is equal to centripetal force, but acting in an opposite direction, is called centrifugal force.

Centripetal force is always directly proportional to the mass of the object in circular motion. Thus, if the mass of the object in Figure 3-26 is doubled, the pull on the string must be doubled to keep the object in its circular path, provided the speed of the object remains constant.

Centripetal force is inversely proportional to the radius of the circle in which an object travels. If the string in Figure 3-26 is shortened and the speed remains constant, the pull on the string must be increased since the radius is decreased, and the string must pull the object from its linear path more rapidly. Using the same reasoning, the pull on the string must be increased if the object is swung more rapidly in its orbit. Centripetal force is thus directly proportional to the square of the velocity of the object. The formula for centripetal force is:

Centripetal Force = Mass (Velocity2) ÷ Radius

For the formula above, mass would typically be converted to weight divided by gravity, velocity would be in feet per second, and the radius would be in feet. Example: What would the centripetal force be if a 10 pound weight was moving in a 3-ft radius circular path at a velocity of 500 fps?

Centripetal Force = Mass (Velocity2) ÷ Radius
Centripetal Force = 10 (5002) ÷ 32.2 (3)
= 25,880 lb
 

In the condition identified in the example, the object acts like it weighs 2,588 times more than it actually does. It can also be said that the object is experiencing 2,588 Gs (force of gravity). The fan blades in a large turbofan engine, when the engine is operating at maximum rpm, are experiencing many thousands of Gs for the same reason.

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