Uniform Circular Motion

Syllabus : Dynamics of uniform cireular motion, Centripetal force. Examples of circular motion (vehicle on
level circular road, vehicle on a banked road).

1. Uniform Circular Motion

When a particle moves on a circular path with a constant speed, then its
motion is said to be a 'uniform circular motion' in a plane. This motion
has an acceleration whose magnitude remains constant, but whose
direction changes continuously.
In Fig. 1, a particle P is moving around a point Owith a constant speed
U. The instantaneous position of P is expressed by an angle Obetween a
radial line OP and a reference line such as OPo. The magnitude (v) of the
velocity of v the particle is constant, but its direction is changing. In the
figure are shown the velocity vectors at different positions of the particle.
In each position the velocity vector v is perpendicular to the radius (Fig. 1)
vector r.

Angular Displacement: Suppose that the particle starts from the position
Po. Its angular position is 0; at any instant t and e, at a later instant
t2 (Fig. 2). Suppose the particle covers a distance As along the circular
path in the time-interval t - t (= At). It revolves through the angle
e, - , (= A0)during this interval. The angle of revolution A0 is called
the 'angular displacement' of the particle. If r is the radius of the circle,
then the angular displacement is given by
As arc
A0 angle = radius

The unit of the angle or angular displacement is 'radian'. If the length (Fig. 2)
of the arc of a circle is equal to the radius of the circle, then the angle
subtended by the arc at the centre of the circle is l radian."
Angular Velocity : The rate of angular displacement undergone by a particle performing unifom circua
motion is called its 'angular velocity. It is denoted by Greek letter o (Omega).
Suppose in a small time-interval At, the angular displacement of a particle is A0, then the avetcs
angular velocity of the particle in this time-interval is
() =
At
If At is infinitesimally small (At ’ 0), then the average angular velocity is equal to the instanta
angülar velocity which is then given by
 A0 d
(0 lim
At0 At d
The unit of angular velocity is rad/s and its dimensional formula is (T .
In one complete revolution along the circle the particle undergoes an angular displacement of 2r radian
(or 360°). Hence, if the time for one revolution be T, then the average angular velocity of the particle is
given by
2
(0

If the particle makes nrevolutions in 1second, then

ö 2 nn (:: n = 1/T]
Relation between Angular Veloclty and LInear Velocity: The particle covers an arc of length As in time
M. Hence the angular displacement is
As
A0

Dividing both sides by At : 1As

At r At
If the time-interval At be infinitesimally small (At ’ 0), then
1 As
lim lim
At>0 At At’0 At

But lim
A’0 At
=0 (instantaneous angular velocity) and At>0
lim At v(instantaneous linear velocity).

or U=r0.

Thus, for a given angular velocity (o), the linear velocity (v) of the particle is directly proportional to
the distance (r) of the particle from the centre. Greater the distance of the particle from the centre,
greater will be its linear velocity.
In vector form : V= (0 Xr .

When a rigid body rotates about a fixed axis, then all the particles of the body move in circular paths
androtate through the same angle in the same time. Hence the angular velocity of all the particles is the
same. But since the particles of the body are at different distances from the axis of rotation, their linear
velocities are different. Greater the distance of a particle from the axis. greater is its linear velocity:
2. Centripetal Acceleration
When a particle performs a uniform circular motion, its direction changes continuously though its speed
remains constant. Thus its velocity changes" continuously. That is,there is an acceleration in cireular
motion. The direction of this acceleration is always towards the centre of the circle. Hence it is called
'centripetal acceleration'.
Suppose aparticle is moving with a uniform speed v on a circular path whose radius is r and centre
is O(Fig. 3a). At every point of the path the direction of particle's motion would be tangential. Suppose
the particle covers a distance As from P; to PT in a small
time-interval At. Let vË and v, be the velocities of the
particle at P, and P, respectively. The magnitude of both
VËand v, is u, but there is a difference of angle A0 in their
directions. The velocity-change from P, to Pz is
V- VË = AV.
If vË and v2 are drawn from the same point Q (Fig. 3 b)
(a
and a third vector is drawn from the arrow-head of vË to
the arrow-head of v2, then this third vector will represent (Fig. 3)
the velocity- change
V2- V = Av .

The triangle OP, P, and the vector-triangle QAB are similar (two sides of each triangle are equal and the
angle between them A0). Hence
BP AB
AQ
Au*

Au =As.
Au
Dividing both sides by At, we have At r At

If At is infinitesimally small (At ’ 0), then

lim lim
At’0 At

But lim
At-’0 At
= a(instantaneous acceleration) and (instantaneous velocity).
a=

a =u'/r.
To express a in terms of o, we put v =ro in above, then
a =
(ro)?

a =ro.
Wouldbe
This is the magnitude of the acceleration aofthe particle. The direction of this acceleration
coincideand
the same as that of A . If At ’ 0 then A0 ’ 0. In this limit the vectors vË and V2 would would
a
the vector A v would be perpendicular to both vË and v, (Fig. 3b). Hence the acceleration
centre O of
the
also be perpendicular to VË and V2, that is, it will always be directed towards the
initort
circle. This is why it is called 'centripetal acceleration'. Its magnitude
(u/r or ro) remains constant but its direction continuously changes
and remains perpendicular to the direction of the velocity of the particle
(Fig. 4).

(Fig. 4)

Variable Circular Motlon : Tangentlal Acceleratlon : If the circular motion of the particle is not uniforn,
but variable, then, along with the radial (centripetal) acceleration, the particle will also have atangential
acceleration. If, in a small time-interval At, the change in the tangential velocity of the particle be Au.
then the tangential acceleration of the particle will be

If the time-interval At be infinitesimally small (At ’ 0), then the instantaneous tangential acceleration
of the particle will be
du
aT = lim
At’0 At dt
The radial acceleration of the particle is
aR = r

These two accelerations are mutually perpendicular (Fig. 5). Hence the magnitude
of the resultant acceleration of the particle is given by
a = Ja +af. (Fig. 5)
In the variable circular motion of the particle, the radial acceleration and tangential
acceleration both are variable. Hence the resultant acceleration of the particle, a, is also variable and it
is not directed towards the centre of the circle.

3. Centripetal Force
We have read that when a particle or a body moves with a uniform speedv on
a circular path of radius r, then it has centripetal acceleration whose magnitude
(u/r) remains constant but whose direction continuously changes and
remains always towards the centre of the circle. According to Newton's law, an
acceleration is always produced by a force whose direction is the same as that
of the acceleration. Hence it is clear that a body perforning circular motion
is acted upon by a force which is always directed towards the centre of the
circle (Fig. 6). This force is called 'centripetal force'. The name centripetal
indicates the direction (towards the centre) of this force. In the absence of this
force the circular motion is not possible. If m is the mass of the body, then the (Fig. 6)
magnitude of the centripetal force is
F=maSS x acceleration
 F=

Since v =r o, we also have

|F= nr o2
Centripetal force is not any new force. Any of the forces found in nature (such as frictional forea
gravitational force, electrical force, magnetic force, etc.) may act as a centripetal force. We come acrod
in our daily life many events involving centripetal force.
4. Examples of Centripetal Force
(0) Turning of Car on Road : When a car takes a turn on the road, it requires
centripetal force. This force is provided by the frictional force between the tyres
and the road (Fig. 7). If the tyres are weared, or the road is wet or icy, the frictional
force is reduced. If this is too small to provide the necessary centripetal force, the
car starts slipping instead of taking turn.
(1) Motion of a Particle Tied to a String in a Horizontal Circle, When the Weight of
the Particle ls Negliglble: When a light ball tied to the end (Fig. 7)
of a string is whirled in a horizontal circular path, then
we have to pull the string continuously inwards (Fig. 8a).
Thus, by the tension in the string, a centripetal force is
applied on the ball. If we leave the end of string from the
hand, the ball flees along the tangent to the circle (Fig.
8 b). The reason is obvious. On releasing the string, the (a) (b)
tension, and hence the centripetal force vanishes, and the
ball then moves along a straight line as (Fig. 8)
Newton's first law of motion. enunciated by
The mud particles stuck to the tyres of cycles and cars plying on
Hence mud-guards are fixed to the wheels of these muddy road are thrown away tangentially
(il) Circular Motion Nature: The
vehicles.
earth moves round the sun under a centripetal force
the sun. This force is provided by the directed towards
gravitational
moves around the earth under the centripetal force attraction on the earth by the sun. Similarly, the moon
the moon by the earth. provided by the gravitational attraction exerted on
(Iv) Circular Motion in Atom :In an
atom, electrons continue to revolve
orbits. The centripetal force is provided by the electrostatic force of around the nucleus in CTcula
charged electron and the positively- charged attraction between the negatively"
The Reaction of Centripetal Force : nucleus.
law, for every action there is an According to Newton's third
Hence there is a reactionary force equal and opposite reaction. CENTRIPE TAL
corresponding
force acting on a revolving body. The to the centripetal
action and reaction forces
FORCE
act on different bodies. When we
a string in a circle, our hand revolve a ball tied to the end of REACTIONARY
FORCE
exerts a centripetal force on the ball
through the tension in the string, and the ball
opposite reactionary force on our hand (Fig. 9).exerts an equal and
In the well of death'
circus show, the
centripetal force (radially inwards) on thewall of the wellwhile
exerts (Fig. 9)
(radially outwards) on the wall. Similarly, themotor-cycle,
earth
the motor-cycle exerts
reactionaryn.
and the moon exerts an exerts centripetal (gravitational) force on the i
opposite reactionary force on the earth.
 prot
Force: (A Pseudo Force)
&Centrifugal
There are certain situations in
which we feel that a body is acted upon by a force,
but
is no force
on the body. Such an apparent force is called a'pseudo force'. Suppose that a actually there
body of mass
mis placed on a
smooth circular table which is
rotating with a uniform angular velocity around CENTRIPETAL
anail passing through the centre of the table. FORCE

Suppose the distance of the body from the nail is CENTRIPETAL

FORCE
2

rand the linear velocity of the table at the body

is v. If there is no sufficient friction between the CENTRIFUGAL
table and the body, then in order to keep the (a (b FORCE

body at rest on the table it must be tied to the

nail by a string. (Fig. 13)
Aman standing on earth and looking at the rotating table will see the body rotating around the nail and
findon it a centripetal force mu/r (Fig. 13 a). This force is
provided by the tension in the string and is
areal force acting on the body.
To another man, however, who is standing on the table, the
body appears at rest because its position is
not changing with respect to the man (Fig. 13 b). Thus, from the
point of view of this man,
there should be no force acting on the body. But actually the body is acted
upon by an inward force mu/r. Hence according to the man standing TABLE
on the moving table, a force of magnitude mu/r isalso acting outwards
so that the net force on the body is zero. This apparent outward force is
called centrifugal force'. Although the centrifugal force is an apparent
force, but its effect is clearly observed by the man standing on the table.
I the string of the body is cut then to the man standing on the table, the
body would appear moving radially outwards (Fig. 14). According to
him, the centripetal force being no more (as the string has been cut), the
Dody is moving outwards under the centrifugal force." If, however, the
Same event is observed by the man standing on earth, then according
tO nim, as soon as the string is cut, the body moves in the direction of
tne tangent to the circular path, as required by Newton's first law. This (Fig. 14)
man would not feel any centrifugal force.
 Infact, when a person stands on a rotating platform then he feels the centrifugal force and its effect.
If we stand on a rotating merry-go-round without holding its strings, we would fall outwards as if we
have been acted upon by some (centrifugal) force. To stand on the merry-go-round, we must stretch the
strings outwards so that by action-reaction law, the string may pull our body inwards and provide the
necessary centripetal force. Similarly, if we are sitting in atrain which suddenly turns towards right, then
we are struck with the left-hand wall of the train. This is not because some real force directed towards
left has acted upon us. Infact, when the train turmed to the right, our body continued to move straight
and we struck with the left-hand wall and felt a (centrifugal) force acting on our body.
Centrifuge :It is adevice to separate the particles of different masses present in a liquid. In this device
the liquid is filled in a vessel, or in tubes, and rotated at a very high speed. In this process the heavier
particles adopting a path of larger radius, move towards the circumference and are separated. The cream
is separated from the milk by this method.
Suppose a vessel filled with milk is rotating. The milk rotates along with the vessel about the same axis.
The necessary centripetal force is provided by the internal frictional force (viscosity) between the layers
of the milk. Since the milk is contained in a rotating vessel, its particles experience a centrifugal force
m° /r. The cream particles in the milk are lighter than the milk particles. The lighter particles woula
experience a lesser force than the heavier particles moving along a path of the same radius. Hence thne
eam particles and the milk particles cannot move on the same path. The lighter cream particles tending
to adopt a path of smaller radius move towards the centre and the heavier milk particles move towards
e circumterence. Hence, cream is obtained from the inner part of the vessel and the milk from the
Outer part.