Unit 4: UCM and 2D Forces

Front

What is uniform circular motion (UCM)?

Back

Uniform circular motion (UCM) is the motion of an object traveling at a constant speed along a circular path.

Front

What is centripetal force?

Back

Centripetal force is the net force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle.

Front

What is the formula for centripetal acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration (a_c) is given by the formula a_c = v²/r, where v is the tangential speed and r is the radius of the circular path.

Front

How does the gravitational force between two objects change with distance?

Back

The gravitational force decreases with the square of the distance between the two objects; if the distance is doubled, the force becomes 4 times smaller.

Front

What is the relationship between mass and gravitational force?

Back

The gravitational force is directly proportional to the product of the masses of the two objects; if either mass increases, the gravitational force increases.

Front

What is the direction of centripetal acceleration in UCM?

Back

Centripetal acceleration always points towards the center of the circle.

Front

What does it mean for velocity to be tangent to a circle?

Back

When an object is in uniform circular motion, its velocity vector is tangent to the circle at any point, indicating the direction of motion.

Front

What happens to gravitational force if both masses are tripled?

Back

If both masses are tripled, the gravitational force becomes 9 times bigger.

Front

What is the effect of increasing the radius of a circular path on centripetal acceleration?

Back

Increasing the radius of a circular path decreases the centripetal acceleration for a constant speed, as a_c = v²/r.

Front

What is the difference between speed and velocity in circular motion?

Back

Speed is a scalar quantity representing how fast an object moves, while velocity is a vector quantity that includes direction.