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SCIENCE
Quarter 1 – Module 4:
CIRCULAR MOTION

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Science – Grade 8
Quarter 1 – Module 4: Uniform Circular Motion

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Regional Director: Gilbert T. Sadsad

Assistant Regional Director: Jessie L. Amin

DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE MODULE

WRITER: Jeriel G. Martirez

REVIEWERS: Maria Charlene D. Dipad

Welimen C. Oseo
Alvin T. Rosare
Michelle H. Guadamor

EDITORS: Maria Charlene D. Dipad

Welimen C. Oseo
Michelle H. Guadamor

LAYOUT ARTISTS: Kevin H. Ojos

Roman B. Jebulan

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 Most Essential Learning Competency

Relate the Laws of Motion to bodies in Uniform

Circular Motion

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 UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

Introduction

Welcome back and nice to see you again.

In your previous module, you learned about uniform
circular motion and how it is link to Newton’s first law
of motion which is the law of inertia. You conducted
activity to gain deeper understanding on how law of
inertia relates to object moving in circular path.
So buckle up, because in this module you are going
to explore the other laws of motion and how it is
related to object in uniform circular motion.

Most Essential Learning

Competency & Objectives

In this module, you will learn how to Relate laws of motion to bodies
in uniform circular motion.

Specifically, you will learn to:

✓ Explain how the second law of motion (Law of Acceleration) is
related to objects moving in uniform circular motion.
✓ Explain how the third law of motion (Law of Interaction) is related
to objects moving in uniform circular motion.

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 Pre-Test

Before we start our lesson, try to answer these

five (5) questions below.

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter

of the correct answer.

1. Newton’s second law of motion states that the acceleration of an object

as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the force applied
and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. Object in uniform
circular motion accelerates because of this net force. This acceleration
is called ____________.
a. Circular acceleration c. Uniform acceleration
b. Centripetal acceleration d. Constant acceleration
2. In uniform circular motion, as the object moves in circular path, it is said
to be accelerating because of a net force. The direction of the
acceleration and centripetal force is always _______________.
a. in the same direction c. always changing
b. in opposite direction d. directed outward
3. What happens to the acceleration of object moving in uniform circular
motion?
a. Acceleration remains the same.
b. Acceleration constantly changes.
c. Acceleration is in opposite direction as the centripetal force.
d. Acceleration is directed away from the center of the circular path.
4. Where is the direction of the tension force,
as a bucket of water is tied to a string and
spun in a circle?
a. Perpendicular to the center of the
circle
b. Away from the center of the circle
c. Towards the center of the circle
d. Tangential to the circle

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5. In order for Juan to maintain the circular motion
of the hammer, he needs to pull the hammer
towards him. As a result, the hammer will also
pulls him. Suppose Juan applied 120 Newton
puling the hammer, how much force will the
hammer pull Juan?
a. The same as force with Juan.
b. Less than the force applied by Juan.
c. Greater than the force applied by Juan.
d. The net force is zero, since they are both puling toward each other

How did you find the test? It’s okay if

you’re not yet sure with your answers. As you
go on with this module, you will learn and find
out if you’re answers are correct. So get ready
as you go on with another journey ahead of
you.

Learning Activities

E licit!

Before we start with our lesson, we need first to

review some concepts about the uniform circular
motion and laws of acceleration and interaction
by answer the task given below.

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 Uniform Circular Motion

1. What is the force acting on an object moving in uniform circular

motion that is directed toward the center?
_________________________________________________.
2. If an object is in uniform circular motion, does the velocity of the
object constant or not? Explain your answer.
_________________________________________________.

Law of Acceleration

3. According to the law of acceleration, when a force acts on an object

of mass m, the acceleration that results is directly proportional to
the net force and has a magnitude that is inversely proportional to
the mass. (True of False) ____________
4. Cart A has mass of 1kg and is pulled with a force of 1N,
Cart B also has a mass of 1kg and is pulled with a force of 2N.
Which cart undergoes greater acceleration? (A, B or both)
________

5. When can you say that object is accelerating? ( put a check in your
chosen answer and you may choose 2 or more answer)
o When object changes speed.
o When object changes direction(same speed)
o When object changes both speed and direction

Law of Interaction
6. Relating to Law of Interaction, how are you going to describe the
action and reaction force in terms of magnitude and direction?
___________________________________________________.
7. Given the illustration below, draw the direction of the action and
reaction force. (you may use colored pens to identify action and reaction
force)

(Note: you may also visit this link for a brief discussion of the laws of acceleration and interaction:
https://yout.be/TVAxASrOiUY)

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 You need these concepts about uniform
circular motion and laws of acceleration and
interaction for you to better understand our
lesson for this module.

E ngage!

As we all know, the moon is the only satellite of our

planet Earth. The moon is said to be revolving around the
Earth. To give you an idea of our lesson, kindly, consider the
diagram below which shows the moon revolving around the
Earth and try to answer the following questions given below.

Below are statements relating the laws of motion to uniform

circular motion. Write “A” if you agree with the statement and “D” if you
don’t agree with the statement. Kindly, write your explanation on the
spaces provided to justify your answer. Use Newton’s law of Motion in
citing your reasons.

1. There is a net force acting on the moon as it revolves around the

Earth.
___________________________________________________
_______________________________________________.

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 2. The direction of the centripetal force is opposite to the direction of
acceleration.
___________________________________________________
__________________________________________________.
3. The forces acting between the Moon and the Earth are of equal
magnitude but in opposite direction.
___________________________________________________
_________________________________________________.

You will learn more about how the laws of

acceleration and interaction is related to uniform
circular motion as you go in the succeeding
activities..

E xplore!

You are now going to perform two (2) activities to

learn more about how uniform circular motion is related
to Newton’s 2nd and 3rd laws of motion which is the law
of Acceleration and Interaction, respectively.

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 ACCELERATION IN CIRCLE

In this 1st activity you are going to explain how the second law of
motion (Law of Acceleration) is related to objects moving in uniform
circular motion. Kindly consider the illustration presented below given an
object moving at a constant speed in a circular path. Study carefully the
direction of the arrows and the variables it represent and answer the
guide questions provided.

Guide Questions:
1. Why do you think an object moving at constant speed in circular motion
accelerate?
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
2. What keeps the object moving in circular path?
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
3. What can you say about the direction of the net force and acceleration?
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.
4. How would you relate the law of acceleration to uniform circular motion?
________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________.

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 In the previous activity you were able to explain how the
law of acceleration is related to bodies moving in uniform
circular motion. Now, let’s see how the third law of motion (law
of interaction) is related to uniform circular motion by performing
the next activity.

LAW OF INTERACTION AND UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION

In this activity you are going to explain how the third law of motion
(Law of Interaction) is related to objects moving in uniform circular motion.
You will need the following material and kindly read the procedure
carefully.

Materials
String
Rubber stopper/small rubber ball wrapped in a plastic ice wrapper

Procedure
1. Tie a rubber stopper at the end of the string. Spin the rubber stopper in
a horizontal circle.
2. Make an illustration showing the rubber stopper moving in circular
motion.

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Guide Questions:

1. Using the illustration you made, draw the direction of the forces acting
on the rubber stopper as in moves in circle.

2. How would you describe the magnitude and direction of the forces?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________
3. How is Newton’s Law of Interaction related to objects moving in circular
motion?
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________.

Great job! You have completed the activities. Take

time to review and analyze your answers. This
activity enables you to understand how the laws of
acceleration and interaction is related to uniform
circular motion.

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 E xplain!

Take time to understand the following ideas

or concepts for you to confirm the results of
the activities you have performed.

According to Newton’s second law of motion, acceleration is produced

by a net force. The net force and the acceleration must be in the same direction.
If applied to uniform circular motion, the acceleration becomes the centripetal
acceleration and the net force. Since, it is also directed towards the axis of
rotation, becomes the centripetal force. Centripetal force can be defined as the
net force on an object that maintains the object’s circular path, and it is directed
towards the center of the circular path. The centripetal force is the force that
maintains the circular path of the object. If the centripetal force is zero, the
object will move in a straight line.
An object moving in circular path is constantly changing direction. The
speed is constant in a uniform circular motion, but the velocity is constantly
changing due to the change in the direction. If there is a change in velocity per
unit time, then acceleration is produced. For uniform circular motion, this
acceleration is called centripetal acceleration. Centripetal acceleration is still
the change in velocity per unit time, but it is always directed towards the center
of the center. The speed and velocity have the same magnitude.
According to the law of interaction,
whenever an action force is exerted on an object,
the object will exert a reaction force which is equal
in magnitude but opposite in direction. The
centripetal force consists of a single force such as
tension, friction, normal force or gravitational
force. Therefore, since object moving in uniform
circular motion experienced an inward force
Figure 3.2 When the car
(centripetal force), the object exerts an equal but moves without sliding
opposite force as that of the inward (centripetal) around a curve, static
friction between the road
force. In figure 3.2, as a car makes a turn, the and the tires provides the
force of friction acting upon the turned wheels of centripetal force to keep
the car on the road.
the car provides centripetal force required for
circular motion.

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 Now that you have understood how uniform
circular motion is related to the laws of acceleration
and interaction, let’s try to apply what you’ve learned
in the next task.

E laborate!

Here is a sample scenarios which illustrate how the

law of acceleration and interaction relates to
uniform circular motion.

As a bucket of water is
tied to a string and spun in a
circle, the tension force acting
upon the bucket provides the
centripetal force required for
circular motion.

Reaction force The friction between the

tires of the jeepney and the
road provides the centripetal
Friction force
force necessary to let the
jeepney turn into curves. If the
jeepney is moving too fast or if
Weight the force of friction is not large
enough, the jeepney will skid.

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 Can you think of other real-life situations like these
which illustrate how the law of acceleration and
interaction relates to bodies moving in uniform circular
motion? You may draw or cut and paste picture in the
box below and try provide some explanation.

Now that you have understood important

concepts about uniform circular motion as it relates to
the Newton’s laws of acceleration and interaction let’s
extend your understanding a little further by answering
the next task.

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E xtend!
To deepen your knowledge and understanding
about how the laws of acceleration and
interaction relates to bodies in circular motion,
kindly consider the task below. You may write
your answer in the notebook below.

“Accidents are more frequent along

curved roadways. Why?
What suggestions can you give so that
these accidents may be avoided?”

Great job! You have completed your task. If

you need some clarifications feel free to ask your
teacher.

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 Vocabulary List

You may refer to the following vocabulary words used in this module:

Centripetal Acceleration – acceleration toward the center of circular motion.

Centripetal Force – net force on an object that maintain the object’s circular
path and directed towards the center.

Law of Acceleration – Newton’s 2nd law of motion which states that: “if
unbalanced force acts on an object, the object accelerates in the direction of
the force. The acceleration varies directly with the unbalanced force and
inversely with the mass of the object.

Law of Inertia – Newton’s 3rd law of motion which states that: “force every
action, there exists a reaction force that is equal in magnitude, but opposite in
direction.

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 E valuate!

Post-Test

I know that you can now answer the

questions below. The questions will test how
much have you learned in this module. You can
do it!

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter of the correct
answer.

1. Newton’s second law of motion states that the acceleration of an object

as produced by a net force is directly proportional to the force applied
and inversely proportional to the mass of the object. Object in uniform
circular motion accelerates because of this net force. This acceleration
is called ____________.
a. Circular acceleration c. Uniform acceleration
b. Centripetal acceleration d. Constant acceleration

2. In uniform circular motion, as the object moves in circular path, it is said

to be accelerating because of a net force. The direction of the
acceleration and centripetal force is always _______________.
a. in the same direction c. always changing
b. in opposite direction d. directed outward

3. What happens to the acceleration of object moving in uniform circular

motion?
a. Acceleration remains the same.
b. Acceleration constantly changes.
c. Acceleration is in opposite direction as the centripetal force.
d. Acceleration is directed away from the center of the circular path.

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4. Where is the direction of the tension force,
as a bucket of water is tied to a string and
spun in a circle?
a. Perpendicular to the center of the
circle
b. Away from the center of the circle
c. Towards the center of the circle
d. Tangential to the circle

5. In order for Juan to maintain the circular motion

of the hammer, he needs to pull the hammer
towards him. As a result, the hammer will also
pulls him. Suppose Juan applied 120 Newton
puling the hammer, how much force will the
hammer pull Juan?
a. The same as force with Juan.
b. Less than the force applied by Juan.
c. Greater than the force applied by Juan.
d. The net force is zero, since they are both puling toward each other

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 Answer Keys

Pre-Test Answer Keys

1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A

Learning Activities Answer Keys

Elicit
1. Centripetal force
2. Velocity is not constant, object moving in uniform circular motion has
constant speed but changing direction. Since, it changes direction the
velocity also changes.
3. True
4. Cart B
5. All of the above
6. The action and reaction forces are equal in magnitude but are always
opposite in direction.
7.

Explore:
(Acceleration in Circle)
1. An object in circular motion is accelerating because the direction of the
object changes. When the direction changes, velocity changes so as its
acceleration
2. The net force keeps the object in circular motion.
3. The direction of acceleration is towards the center of the circle so as the
direction of the net force.

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 4. For objects moving in circular motion, there must be a net force acting
on it since it is accelerating. If there is no net force, the object will not
follow a circular path instead it will move in straight line

(Law of Interaction and Uniform Circular Motion)

1.

2. The forces are same in magnitude but in opposite direction.)

3. Object moving in uniform circular motion experienced an inward force
centripetal force, the object exerts an equal but opposite force as that of
the centripetal force.

Post-Test Answer Keys

1. B
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. A

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 References

Cover Art: Aerial Car Photo by Mohan Reddy Atalu from Pexels.com
Cover Art: Children on swing Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay.com
Cover Art: Cart Racing Photo by Alex Andrews from Pexels.com
Cover Art: Solar System Image by WikiImages from Pixabay.com
Figure: Spinning bucket image from
https://slideplayer.com/amp/3953071/.
Figure: Hammer throw illustration from
https://www.teachpe.com/biomechanics/angular-motion
Figure: Car on curved road from https://www.asc.ohio-
state.edu/humanic.1/p111_lecture10.pdf
Video clip: Laws of motion video from https://yout.be/TVAxASrOiUY

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