Laura Torres

Experiment 5; Uniform Circular Motion

February 21st, 2020

None.

2. Instructions.

2.1. Purpose/ or Objective of Experiment.

In this laboratory experiment the objective is to determine the centripetal force of an

object with a centripetal force apparatus by measuring its rotation speed.

2.2. Apparatus/ or Equipment Used.

1) Centripetal force apparatus

2) Motor with coupler and means for counting turns

3) Stopwatch or stop clock

4) Supporting rods, hook, right-angle clamp, and bench clamp

5) Weight hanger and weights

6) Vernier caliper

7) Level

8) Triple-beam balance

2.3. Theory.

If a body moves with constant speed in a circle, it is said to be moving with uniform

circular motion. Even though the speed is constant, the velocity is continuously

changing because the direction of the motion is continuously changing. Thus, such a

body has an acceleration. It can be shown that the direction of the acceleration is

always toward the center of the circle (because it is only the direction and not the

magnitude of the velocity that is changing) and that its magnitude is given by the

equation:
where v is the speed of the body in meters per second and r is the radius of the path in

meters.

A force is necessary to produce this acceleration. Because it must be in the same

direction as the acceleration-namely, toward the center of the circle as noted above-it

is called centripetal force. Newton's second law now requires that the magnitude of

this force be equal to the mass times the acceleration produced. The equation for

centripetal force:

where F is the force in newtons, m is the mass of the rotating body in kilograms, and

v and r are the same as before. But by Newton's third law of motion, an equal and

opposite force is exerted by the body on the restraining medium. This reaction is

called centrifugal force.

The centripetal force can also be expressed in terms of the angular speed, since

v = rw and w = 2 p f

where v is the linear speed and r the radius of the path as before, w is the angular

speed in radians per second, and

f is the number of revolutions per second. Thus,

F = 4p2f2rm

where F is the centripetal force in newtons as already described.

Centripetal force apparatus: A stretched string provides the centrifugal force to keep

the rotating mass moving in a circle, but the complete assembly is mounted on a

horizontal bar (the rotating platform) mounted on a vertical shaft carried in very good

bearings. A knurled portion of the shaft provides a convenient grip for the

experimenter's fingers, and you'll find with a little practice that you can keep the

assembly rotating at a constant speed quite accurately. Note that at the bottom of the

spring there is a small pink disk, and because the spring and disk are at the center of

rotation, the position of the latter is easily observed even with the apparatus in

motion. The mass to be kept rotating at a particular radius is suspended by threads

from a post mounted on the rotating platform at that radius. Weights hung on a thread

passing over a pulley at the end of the platform are used to bring the rotating mass to

the selected radius with the apparatus at rest, and the marker ring on the central post

is moved to the position now occupied by the pink disk. The weights are then

removed, and the apparatus rotated to a speed that again brings the pink disk into the

marker ring. The centripetal force exerted by the spring must then be the same as that

exerted by the weight when the apparatus wasn't turning, and the rotating mass must

be back at the selected radius. The apparatus parameters have been chosen so that no

rotational speed will be high enough to make counting the turns difficult. Be careful,

however, to count only one end of the platform as it comes around.

1) When you come into the laboratory, examine the rotating assembly carefully in

order to understand how it works. Make sure that it is level by placing your level

on the rotating platform and adjusting the leveling screws in the base until the

platform's top surface remains exactly horizontal no matter which way it is turned.

Observe that the rotating mass consists of three parts and is suspended by two

threads from a supporting post that may be set at any point along the rotating

platform. A centimeter scale ] on this platform and a vertical line on the post

allow the distance of the post from the center of rotation to be meas¬ured quite

accurately. Unhook the complete rotating mass from the threads, weigh it, and

record your result. Then remove the two outer sections, weigh the central §

section alone, and record this result also. You will thus have two possible values

for the rotating mass.

2) Replace the central piece of the complete rotating mass on the supporting threads

and note that in addition to the hook by which you hang this mass, it has two other

hooks, one facing toward the center of the apparatus and the other facing

outward. A piece of thread about 30 cm long should run from the inner hook,

under the pulley on the central post, and up to the bottom of the pink indica¬tor

disk. Check that this thread is in place (install it your¬self if it is not) and that the

run from the hook to the pulley is horizontal. If it is not, the height of the bracket

holding the supporting threads may be adjusted until it is.

3) Run another thread from the outer hook on the rotating mass over the pulley at

the end of the platform and down to a weight hanger. Place 150 g on the hanger
 and record the total mass (weights plus the hanger mass) so suspended. This will

pull the rotating mass out and stretch the spring.

4) Carefully loosen the clamp fixing the supporting post to the platform and slide it

along its track until the threads supporting the rotating mass are exactly vertical.

You can do this by lining up the two threads with each other and with the vertical

line scribed on the post. Be sure the post itself is vertical by sliding it so that its

bot¬tom edge bears on the track on the platform's lower edge. Clamp the post in

position and read the radius at which you have set it from the scale on the

platform. Record this value. Finally, move the indicator ring on the central post so

that the pink indicator disk is centered in it and fix the ring in this position.

5) Now remove the weight hanger, weights, and thread from the outer hook on the

rotating mass. The spring will pull this mass in toward the center of the

ap¬paratus, and your plan is to spin the assembly up to the speed at which the

rotating mass returns to the position in which it was held by the weights with the

apparatus at rest. Do this by carefully turning the knurled portion of the

supporting shaft with your fingers, gradually increas¬ing the rotational velocity

until the pink indicator disk is pulled back down into the indicator ring. Practice

for a while until you can keep this velocity constant at the value for which the

pink disk is centered in the ring. Then start the stop clock as one end of the

platform comes around and stop it after ten turns. Measure the time for ten turns

in this manner four times and record your results. Note that it is a good plan in

making these measurements to have one observer pay strict attention to keeping
 the speed constant at the proper value while the other counts turns and operates

the stop clock.

6) Repeat Procedures 3-5 with 100 g on the weight hanger and again using 50g.

7) Reassemble the two outer portions of the rotating mass to the central piece and

repeat Procedures 3-6 using this larger rotating mass.

3. Data and Observations

1) Hanging mass = 35g

 Value of the rotating mass: 158g

 Mass hung on the spring: 35g

 Measured value of the centripetal force: 0.342 N

 Radius of rotation: 18.7cm

 Centripetal force calculated from the theory: 0.328 N

 Percent discrepancy: 4.2%

Number Time Rotation

Trial of turns interval Speed Deviation

1 10 19s 0.53 0

2 10 19s 0.53 0

3 10 19s 0.53 0

4 10 19s 0.53 0

Averages 0.53 0
2) Hanging mass = 45g

 Value of the rotating mass: 158g

 Mass hung on the spring: 45g

 Measured value of the centripetal force: 0.441 N

 Radius of rotation: 19.8cm

 Centripetal force calculated from the theory: 0.469 N

 Percent discrepancy: 6.1%

Number Time Rotation

Trial of turns interval Speed Deviation

1 10 16s 0.625 0

2 10 16s 0.625 0

3 10 17 0.588 0.08

4 10 16 0.625 0

Averages 0.616 0.02

3) Hanging mass = 55g

 Value of the rotating mass: 158g

 Mass hung on the spring: 55g

 Measured value of the centripetal force: 0.539 N

 Radius of rotation: 20.7cm

 Centripetal force calculated from the theory: 0.579 N

 Number Time Rotation

Trial Ofturns Interval Speed Deviation

1 10 15s 0.67 0

2 10 15s 0.67 0

3 10 15s 0.67 0

4 10 15s 0.67 0

Averages 15s 0.67 0

4. Data Analysis/ Calculations.

Rotation speed for each trial:

1) Hanging mass = 35 g

Speed = 10 turns/ 19s = 0.53 rev/s x 2rad/s

Every trial for this mass gave the same value.

2) Hanging mass = 45 g

Speed = 10 turns/ 16s = 0.625 rev/s x 2rad/s

Speed = 10 turns/ 17s = 0.588 rev/s x 2rad/s

3) Hanging mass = 55 g

Speed = 10 turns/ 15s = 0.67 rev/s x 2rad/s

Every trial for this mass gave the same value.

1) Hanging mass =35 g

Avg = (0.53 rev/s x 4)/ 4 = 0.53 rev/s

2) Hanging mass = 45 g

Avg = [(0.625 rev/s x3) + 0.588 rev/s]/4 = 0.616 rev/s

3) Hanging mass = 55 g

Avg = (0.67 rev/s x 4)/4 = 0.67 rev/s

Centripetal force from theory: F = f2rm

1) Hanging mass = 35 g

F = 4rev/s)2(0.187 m)(0.158 kg) = 0.328 N

2) Hanging mass = 45 g

F = 4rev/s)2(0.198 m)(0.158 kg) = 0.469 N

3) Hanging mass = 55 g

F = 4rev/s)2(0.207 m)(0.158 kg) = 0.579 N

Force stretching the spring: F = mg

1) Hanging mass = 35 g

F = (0.035 kg)(9.8 m/s2) = 0.342 N

2) Hanging mass = 45 g

F = (0.045 kg)(9.8 m/s2) = 0.441 N

3) Hanging mass = 55g

F = (0.055 kg)(9.8 m/s2) = 0.539 N

theory|/average] x 100%

1) Hanging mass = 35 g

[( 0.342 N - 0.328 N)/0.335 N]x100% = 4.2%

2) Hanging mass = 45 g

[(0.469 N - 0.441 N)x 0.455 N]x100% = 6.1%

3) Hanging mass = 55g

[(0.579 N - 0.539 N)/0.559 N]x100 = 7.1%

Post-lab Questions

1) State what the experiment checks.

The point of the experiment is to compare the values obtained from calculations to the

ones obtained with the procedure. According to the experiment, all values are a 7% or

less close to the value obtained from the equation.

2) (a) How does the centripetal force vary with the speed of rotation for a constant radius of

the path?

With greater values of speed of rotation, one can obtain greater values for the

centripetal force.

(b) How does it vary with the radius of the path for a constant speed of rotation?

With a wider radius, one can get higher values for the centripetal force.

3) Distinguish between centripetal force and centrifugal force. Explain in what direction

each force is acting and on what it is acting.

The centrifugal force is the tendency of an object following a curved path to fly away

from the center of curvature, its direction is along the radius of the circle, from the
 center towards the object. The centripetal force is the force that keeps an object

moving with a uniform speed along a circular path, its direction is along the radius of

the circle, from the object towards the center.

4) Calculate at what speed Earth would have to rotate in order that objects at the equator

would have no weight. Assume the radius of Earth to be 6400 km. What would be the

linear speed of a point on the equator? What would be the length of a day (time from

sunrise to sunset) under these conditions?

g = ω²r

ω = √(g / r) = √(9.81m/s² / 6.4e6m) = 0.00124 rad/s

v = ωr = 7900 m/s

T = 2π/ω = 5075 s ≈ 1 hr 24 min 35 s

5) Engines for propeller-driven aircraft are limited in their maximum rotational speed by

the fact that the tip speed of the propeller must not approach the speed of sound in air

(Mach I). Taking 6 ft as a typical diameter for a propeller of a light airplane and 1100

fils as the speed of sound, find the upper limit on the rpm (revolutions per minute) of

the propeller shaft.

C = 2πR

rps = u/C = 1100/(2πR) = 58.36 rps x 60 = 3501 rpm

5. Conclusion

We were able to determine the centripetal force of an object using the centripetal force

apparatus. While doing so we were able to appreciate that the centripetal force increased

when the mass hanged (gravitational force, or force stretching the spring) increased, and
this also increased the radius of the apparatus. Rotation speed also increased when

increasing the force stretching the spring.