Circular Motion Flashcards
What is a radian?
The angle subtended at the centre of a circle when the arc is equal in length to the radius of a circle.
What is a period in circular motion?
The time taken in seconds for one complete circular path.
What is angular velocity?
The rate of angular rotation in radians per second.
What is centripetal acceleration?
The acceleration of an object moving in with uniform circular motion.
What is the centripetal force?
The resultant force on an object acting towards the centre of a circle causing it to move in a circular path.
How does the tension of a mass moving in a vertical circle change as it moves?
At the top of the circle, the tension is lowest as it acts in the same direction as the weight, meaning less force is needed to provide the centripetal force. At the bottom of the circle, the tension is greatest as it acts in the opposite direction to the weight.
