Circular Motion Flashcards
What happens when an object moves in a circle?
A: An object moving in a circle is constantly changing direction, so, even if its speed stays the same, its velocity is changing because velocity includes direction.
Flashcard 17
Q: What is centripetal force?
A: The force that keeps an object moving in a circle is called the centripetal force. It always acts toward the center of the circular path, i.e., gravity keeping planets orbiting the Sun.
Flashcard 18
Q: What happens if there is no net force acting on an object moving in a circle?
A: If there were no net force (if they were balanced), the object would move in a straight line (Newton’s First Law).
Flashcard 19
Q: What must happen for an object to maintain a circular path?
A: To maintain a circular path, the net force cannot be zero (it must be unbalanced); it must be constantly pulling or pushing the object toward the center.
