Circular Motion

IAS - EDEXCEL
PHYSICS
UNIT 04
Further Mechanics, Fields & Particles
Circular Motion
Menuka Suwinda
Circular Motion
Radians & Angular Displacement
Radians
• A radian (rad) is defined as:
The angle subtended at the centre of a circle by an arc equal in length to the radius of the
circle
• Radians are used whenever describing the angular displacement of objects in circular motion
• Angular displacement can be calculated using the equation:
• Where:
o Δθ = angular displacement, or angle of rotation (radians)
o s = length of the arc, or the distance travelled around the circle (m)
o r = radius of the circle (m)
• Radians are commonly written in terms of π

• The angle in radians for a complete circle (360o) is equal to:
Radian Conversions
• If an angle of 360o = 2π radians, then 1 radian in degrees is equal to:
• Use the following equation to convert from degrees to radians:
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Angular Displacement
• The angular displacement Δθ is the ratio of:
• Angular displacement describes the change in angle, in radians, of a body as it moves in a

circle
o This angle is measured with respect to the centre of orbit
When the angle is equal to one radian, the length of the arc (Δs) is equal to the radius (r) of
the circle
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Angular Velocity
• The angular velocity ω of a body in circular motion is defined as:

The rate of change of angular displacement
• In other words, angular velocity is the angle swept out by an object in circular motion, per
second
• Angular velocity is a vector quantity and is measured in rad s–1
o Since it is a vector, it has a magnitude (angular speed) and direction
• Angular velocity is calculated using:
∆𝜃
ω =
∆𝑡
• Where:
o Δθ = change in angular displacement (radians)
o Δt = time interval (s)
• It is related to linear speed, v by the equation
v = ωr
• Where:
o v = linear speed, v (m s-1)
o ω = angular speed (rad s-1)
o r = radius of orbit (m)
When an object is in uniform circular motion, velocity constantly changes direction, but the
speed stays the same
• Taking the angular displacement of a complete orbit or revolution as 2π radians, the angular
velocity ω an be calculated using the equation:
• Where:
o T = the time period (s)
o f = frequency (Hz)
3|Page
• This equation shows that:
o The greater the rotation angle θ in a given amount of time T, the greater the angular
velocity ω
o An object travelling with the same linear velocity, but further from the centre of orbit
(larger r) moves with a smaller angular velocity (smaller ω)
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Centripetal Acceleration
• An object moving in uniform circular motion travels with a constant angular
velocity and angular speed
• However, its direction is always changing
o Therefore, its linear velocity changes, so it must be accelerating
o This is called a centripetal acceleration
• An object in circular motion is thus always accelerating
• This acceleration is called 'centripetal' because it is directed toward the centre of orbit
• To derive an equation for the magnitude of centripetal acceleration, consider an object in
uniform circular motion between point A and B on a circle, as shown below:
• At A and B, by resolving the horizontal and vertical components of linear velocity v, it can be
seen that:
o Initial vertical component of v = final vertical component of v which is v cos θ
o Initial horizontal component of v is v sin θ
o Final horizontal component of v is –v sin θ
• This means the acceleration of the object is only horizontal, given by:
• Recalling the equations for angular velocity ω = θ /t and v = rω, then:
2𝑟𝜃
• The object's angular displacement is actually 2θ, therefore, the time t is given by 𝑡 = 𝑣
• Therefore, substituting this into the equation for acceleration gives:
5|Page
• This equation is the acceleration of the object between points A and B
o To find the instantaneous acceleration at an exact point on the circle, say point C,
reduce the size of the angular displacement θ so it becomes infinitesimally small
o This is shown in the image below:
• In the limit θ → 0 radians

o The value of sin θ is approximately equal to θ
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
o Therefore, ≈ 1 (for very small angles)
𝜃
o This is known as the small angle approximation
• Therefore, the instantaneous acceleration is the centripetal acceleration:
• Where:
o a = centripetal acceleration (m s–2)
o v = linear velocity (m s–1)
o r = radius of orbit (m)
o ω = angular velocity (rad s-1)
• The negative sign indicates that the centripetal acceleration is directed toward the centre of
orbit
6|Page
Using Centripetal Acceleration
• Centripetal acceleration is defined as:

The acceleration of an object towards the centre of a circle when an object is in motion
(rotating) around a circle at a constant speed
• Its magnitude is calculated using the radius r and linear speed v:
• Using the equation relating angular speed ω and linear speed v:

v = r⍵
• These equations can be combined to give another form of the centripetal acceleration
equation:
• This equation shows that centripetal acceleration is equal to the radius times the square of
the angular speed
• Alternatively, rearrange for r:
• This equation can be combined with the first one to give us another form of the centripetal
acceleration equation:
• This equation shows how the centripetal acceleration relates to the linear speed and the
angular speed
Centripetal acceleration is always directed toward the centre of the circle, and is perpendicular
to the object’s velocity
7|Page
• Where:
o a = centripetal acceleration (m s−2)
o v = linear speed (m s−1)
o ⍵ = angular speed (rad s−1)
o r = radius of the orbit (m)
8|Page
Maintaining Circular Motion
• An object moving in a circle is not in equilibrium, it is constantly changing direction
o Therefore, in order to produce circular motion, an object requires a resultant force to
act on it
o This resultant force is known as the centripetal force and is what keeps an object
moving in a circle
• The centripetal force F is defined as:
The resultant force towards the centre of the circle required to keep a body in uniform circular
motion. It is always directed towards the centre of the body's rotation.
The tension in the string provides the centripetal force F to keep the hammer in circular orbit
• Note: centripetal force and centripetal acceleration act in the same direction
o This is due to Newton’s Second Law
• The centripetal force is not a separate force of its own
o It can be any type of force, depending on the situation, which keeps an object moving in
a circular path
• Examples of centripetal force
9|Page
Centripetal Force
• Centripetal force can be calculated using any of the following equations:
• Where:
o F = centripetal force (N)
o v = linear velocity (m s-1)
o ⍵ = angular speed (rad s-1)
o r = radius of the orbit (m)
• The centripetal force is the resultant force on the object moving in a circle
o This is particular important if there are multiple forces on the object, such as weight
10 | P a g e
Step 1: Draw the forces on the bucket at the top
Step 2: Calculate the centripetal force

o The weight of the bucket = mg
o This is equal to the centripetal force since it is directed towards the centre of the
circle
Step 3: Rearrange for velocity v

o m cancels from both sides
Step 4: Substitute in values
11 | P a g e

Circular Motion

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IAS - EDEXCEL

• Radians are commonly written in terms of π

• Use the following equation to convert from degrees to radians:

• The angular displacement Δθ is the ratio of:

• Angular displacement describes the change in angle, in radians, of a body as it moves in a

• The angular velocity ω of a body in circular motion is defined as:

• Recalling the equations for angular velocity ω = θ /t and v = rω, then:

• In the limit θ → 0 radians

• Centripetal acceleration is defined as:

• Using the equation relating angular speed ω and linear speed v:

• Centripetal force can be calculated using any of the following equations:

Step 2: Calculate the centripetal force

Step 3: Rearrange for velocity v

Step 4: Substitute in values

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