Further Mechanics Flashcards
What does an object moving in a circular path at a constant speed have?
A constantly changing velocity
What do we know from Newton’s first law in regards to circular motion?
That to accelerate an object must experience a resultant force. Therefore, an object must experience a force called a centripetal force which always acts towards the center of the circle.
Angular speed
The angle an object moves through per unit time.
What can angles be measured in other than degrees?
Radians
Radian
The angle in the sector of the circle where the arc length of that sector is equal to the radius of the circle.
How do you convert from degrees to radians?
By multiplying by Pi/180
What does it mean when an object experiences simple harmonic motion.
Its acceleration is directly proportional to displacement and is in the opposite direction.
How can you draw a velocity-time graph?
It is the gradient function of the displacement-time graph.
How can you draw an acceleration-time graph?
By drawing the gradient function of the velocity-time graph.
What examples are there of Simple harmonic systems?
Simple pendulum and a mass-spring system.
What happens in a simple harmonic system?
Kinetic energy is transferred to potential energy and back as the system oscillates. The amplitude would be the maximum amount of potential energy. The centre of oscillation is the maximum kinetic energy. The total energy of the system remains constant.
Damping
Where the energy in an oscillation is lost to the environment, leading to reduced amplitude of oscillations.
Light damping
Where the amplitude gradually decreases by a small amount each oscillation.
Critical damping
Reduces the amplitude to zero in the shortest possible time.
Heavy damping
Where the amplitude reduces slower than with critical damping, but without any additional oscillations.
