Circular Motion and Orbits

Front

What is circular motion?

Back

Circular motion is the motion of an object that travels along a circular path. It can be uniform (constant speed) or non-uniform (changing speed).

Front

What is centripetal acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration directed towards the center of a circular path, necessary for an object to maintain circular motion. It is calculated using the formula a_c = v²/r, where v is the velocity and r is the radius.

Front

What is the formula for centripetal force?

Back

The formula for centripetal force (F_c) is F_c = m * a_c, where m is the mass of the object and a_c is the centripetal acceleration.

Front

How does speed affect circular motion?

Back

In circular motion, an increase in speed results in an increase in centripetal acceleration, which requires a greater centripetal force to maintain the motion.

Front

What role does friction play in circular motion?

Back

Friction provides the necessary centripetal force for an object to move in a circular path, especially for vehicles on a track.

Front

What is the relationship between radius and centripetal acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is inversely proportional to the radius of the circular path; as the radius increases, the centripetal acceleration decreases for a constant speed.

Front

What is the maximum speed of a car on a circular track?

Back

The maximum speed (v_max) of a car on a circular track can be calculated using the formula v_max = sqrt(μ * g * r), where μ is the coefficient of friction, g is the acceleration due to gravity, and r is the radius of the track.

Front

What is the normal force in circular motion?

Back

The normal force is the perpendicular force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it, which can change in circular motion due to acceleration.

Front

What is the effect of mass on centripetal force?

Back

Centripetal force is directly proportional to the mass of the object; as mass increases, the required centripetal force to maintain circular motion also increases.

Front

What is uniform circular motion?

Back

Uniform circular motion is when an object moves in a circular path at a constant speed, resulting in a constant centripetal acceleration.