CIRCULAR MOTION Flashcards
angular displacement (θ)
angle (in radians) through which an object undergoing circular motion has moved
angular velocity (ω)
angular displacement divided by time taken (units: rad s-1)
centripetal force
an unbalanced force that causes circular motion
frequency
number of revolutions per second
geostationary orbit
an orbit around the Earth that has a period of 24 hours (so the satellite remains above the same point on the Earth’s surface)
gravitational field
a region of space where a mass experiences a force because of its mass
gravitational field strength (g)
the force per unit mass experienced by a small point test mass placed in the field
Kepler’s 3rd Law
the cube of the radius of a satellite is proportional to the square of its period
gravitational field strength (g)
the force per unit mass experienced by a small point test mass placed in the field
gravitational field strength (g)
the force per unit mass experienced by a small point test mass placed in the field
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 their separation
gravitational field strength (g)
the force per unit mass experienced by a small point test mass placed in the field
period
time for one revolution
point mass
a mass that does not take up any space (i.e. it is infinitely small)
test mass
a mass that is so small it does not change the gravitational field in which it is placed
