5.

Circular motion and

gravitation
Physics
4.1 Circular motion
Quantities related to circular motion:
Consider a body moving around a circle of radius r with a constant speed v. In time ∆t, the radius
sweeps an angle ∆θ.

Time period (T): The time required by the body to complete a revolution.

Angular displacement (θ): The angle swept by the radius. Unit is radian.

Angular velocity (ω): The angle swept per unit time. Unit is radian s-1.
∆𝜃
𝜔=
∆𝑡
In terms of time period,
2𝜋
𝜔=
𝑇
Frequency (f): Number of revolutions per unit time.
1
𝑓=
𝑇
Angular velocity and frequency are related as

𝜔 = 2𝜋𝑓

Angular velocity and speed:

The speed (v) and angular velocity (ω) of an object moving along a circle of radius r are related as

𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔
E.g.: A large clock on a building has a minute hand that is 4.2m long.

Calculate:

a) the angular speed of minute hand.

b) the angular displacement in the time periods

i) 12:00 to 12:20

ii) 12:00 to 14:30

c) the linear speed of tip of minute hand.

Ans. a) The minute hand takes 60 mins = 3600 s for complete revolution.
2𝜋
Angular velocity = 3600 = 0.00175rad s-1
2
b) i) 20 minutes is a third of a complete revolution. So, the angular displacement is 3π radians.

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ii) 12:00 to 14:30 is 2 complete revolutions and a half revolution. So, the angular displacement is
2(2π) + π = 5π radians.

c) the linear speed is 𝑣 = 𝑟𝜔 = 4.2 × 0.00175 = 0.0073𝑚𝑠 −1

Centripetal acceleration:
If the speed of object remains constant during the travel in a circle, then it is called uniform circular
motion. Although the speed remains constant, the velocity changes due to change in direction. So,
there must be acceleration. This acceleration is called centripetal acceleration and is directed
towards the centre. The magnitude of this acceleration is

𝑣2
𝑎=
𝑟
Centripetal force:
The force that causes centripetal acceleration is centripetal force. The magnitude of this force is
mass times the magnitude of centripetal acceleration.

𝑚𝑣 2
𝐹𝑐 =
𝑟

The work done by the centripetal force is zero. Reason this using basic formula of work.

Examples of circular motion:

1. Rotating a mass on a string on the earth (vertical):

The critical velocity should be such that the when the mass is at the highest position, the tension in
the string is greater than (at least) zero.

2. Looping

Consider a car looping a vertical circle. For the car to complete the circle, the normal reaction should
be greater than (at least) zero at the top most point.

Find the least speed with which the masses should set out at the bottom in above two examples
to complete the circle using law of conservation of energy.

3. Car on a circular track:

A car is moving on a circular track. The centripetal force is provided by frictional force whose
maximum value is μR. When the speed becomes higher than a critical value such that the required
centripetal force exceeds maximum fiction, the car slips.

E.g.: A hammer thrower in an athletics competition swings the hammer on its chain round 7.5

times in 5.2s before releasing it. The hammer describes a circle of radius 4.2m and has a mass
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of 4.0kg. Assume that the hammer is swung in a horizontal circle and that the chain is horizontal.

a) Calculate, for the rotation:

(i) the average angular speed of the hammer

(ii) the average tension in the chain.

b) Comment on the assumptions made in this question.

𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡 7.5×2𝜋
Ans. a) i)The average angular speed = 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
= 5.2
= 9.1 𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑠 −1

ii) Average tension= 𝑚𝑟𝜔2 = 4 × 4.2 × 9.12 = 1400𝑁

b) The thrower usually inclines the plane of the circle at about 45° to the horizontal in order to
achieve maximum range. Even if the plane were horizontal, then the weight of the hammer would
contribute to the system so that a component of the tension in the chain must allow for this. Both
assumptions are unlikely.

4.2 Gravitation
Newton’s universal law of gravitation:
Every single point mass attracts every other point mass with a force that is directly proportional to
the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of distance between them.
𝑚1 𝑚2
𝐹 ∝
𝑟2
𝐺𝑚1 𝑚2
𝐹=
𝑟2
G is called the universal gravitational constant and has a value 6.6742 × 10−11 𝑚3 𝑘𝑔−1 𝑠 −2.

Gravitational field and field strength:

The gravitational field of an object is the region in which another object experiences gravitational
force. The gravitational field due to any mass extends to infinite space but its value becomes
insignificant in large distances due to inverse square proportionality to distance.

Gravitational field strength of a mass is the force acting on a unit mass due to the mass. It is a vector
and the combined field due to two masses can be calculated by adding the fields due to individual
object vectorially.
𝐺𝑀
Due to a point mass of mass M, the gravitational field is 𝑟2
.

Spherical objects can be considered point masses located at the centre of sphere in calculation of
field.

Close to earth, the field can be considered uniform with the strength of field being equal to that on
the surface.

Field lines:
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Field lines are lines drawn in the direction that a mass would accelerate if placed in the field.

They help to visualise the field.

E.g.: Calculate the field strength due to two masses at points A and B.

Ans. The field at A = magnitude of strength due to 1000kg – magnitude of strength due to 100kg
𝐺1000 𝐺100
= − = 9.63 × 10−9 𝑁𝑘𝑔−1
2.52 2.52
Field at B = magnitude of strength due to 1000kg + magnitude of strength due to 100kg
𝐺1000 𝐺100
= + 2 = 6.69 × 108 𝑁𝑘𝑔−1
12 6
Gravitational potential:
The gravitational potential at a point is the work done per unit mass in taking a point mass from
zero potential (reference) to the point of concern. The potential energy of a body is the potential at
that point multiplied by the mass of the body.

In a uniform field (F) like that of one near the surface of the earth, the gravitational potential is equal
to Fd, where d is the component of distance along the field.

Equipotential lines:
The lines along which potential energy does not change are called equipotential lines. When a body
is moved along one of these lines, work need not be done because they are of same potential.

Drawing equipotential lines for masses in three dimensions gives equipotential surfaces.

The equipotential lines are perpendicular to field lines. Find a reason for this based on the
definition of work.

Equipotential and field lines near the surface of the earth.

The potential is a scalar quantity. So, the potential at a point due to two masses is the sum of
potentials due to the two masses.
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Potential energy due to point mass:
Consider a mass m present in a field due to a mass M. The potential energy of the mass m is the
work done in bringing the point mass from infinity to a point at a distance r from M. this can be
obtained by integrating force with distance from infinity to the required point.
𝐺𝑀𝑚
This gives 𝑊 = − 𝑟
.
𝑊 𝐺𝑀
The potential due mass M is 𝑚 = − 𝑟
.

Gravitational field inside a planet:

The gravitational field inside a uniform planet of density 𝜌, radius R at a distance r from centre is
given by
4𝜋𝐺𝜌𝑟
𝑔′ =
3
Escape speed:
The escape speed of a planet is the minimum speed with which a body projected would escape the
gravitational field of the planet.

2𝐺𝑀𝑚
𝑣𝑒 = √
𝑅

Energy of a satellite:
The total energy of a satellite of mass m encircling a planet of mass M in a circular path of radius R is
𝐺𝑀𝑚
−
2𝑅
Kepler’s third law:
The orbital period T of a planet revolving around a sun in a circular path of radius r is related
to orbital radius as

4𝜋 2 𝑟 3
𝑇2 =
𝐺𝑀
𝑇2 ∝ 𝑟3
E.g.: The gravitational time period for earth around the sun is 3.2 × 107 seconds. Calculate
the time period for mars.
(radius of Earth orbit = 1.5 × 1011 m;

radius of Mars orbit = 2.3 × 1011 m)

Ans.
𝑇2 ∝ 𝑟3
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 𝑟3
Which gives time period for mars = 𝑇𝐸 √ 𝑟𝑚3 = 6.1 × 107s.
𝑒

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