CIRCULAR

MOTION
 CIRCULAR MOTION
y
Circular motion is the motion of an object around a path (circle). It can be
uniform or non-uniform circular motion. Circular motion can be describe as
y M one-dimensional motion. The material point is at a constant distance r
𝑟Ԧ from the origin 0.
𝜃 The position of the material point M along the circular path is uniquely
x x derminated by the angle 𝜃,this is angle between the radius-vector and the
0
x axis. In this example , the value of angle 𝜃 is changing, while the value
of the radius remains the same. Angular quantities that are used in circular
motion of material points are: described angle, angular displacement,
angular velocity and angular acceleration.

𝑀2 ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT, DESCRIBED ANGLE

∆𝜃 𝑀1
𝑟 The material point travel from 𝑀1 to 𝑀2 as it does in the picture,
𝜃2 radius-vector describes an angle ∆𝜃.
𝜃1
𝑥 𝑀1 and 𝑀2 are the initial and final position of radius-vector of material point
∆𝜃 = 𝜃2 -𝜃1 is angular displacement of material point

To know how far an Angular displacement of material point is angular distance between
material point has moved the radius-vector material points in the initial and final position.
round the circle, we need
to know the angle 𝜃.
Described angle is the total angle which describe the material point in circular motion.

if the material point describes less than one full if the material point describes more than one full
revolution angular displacement and described revolution described angle is greater than the
angle are equal angular displacement

When dealing with circles and circular motion. It is more convenient to s=l
measure angles and angular displacement in units called radians rather than 𝜃
in degrees. If an object moves a distance s around a circular path of radius r r
0
(picture), its angle 𝜃 in radians is defined as fallows:

𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑎𝑟𝑐 𝑙
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑛𝑠 = 𝜃= The size of an angle
𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑟
depends on the radius
Since s and r are distance measured in metres, it fallows that the angle and length of the arc.
𝜃 is simply a ratio. It ia a dimensionless quantity.

If an object moves all the way round the

𝑐𝑖𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑚𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 2𝜋𝑟
circumference of the circle, it moves distance of 2𝜋𝑟. 𝜃= = = 2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑
We can calculate its angular displacement in radians: 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 𝑟

An angle of 360° is equivalent to an angle of 2𝜋 radians.If we want to transform the angle from degrees
to radians or viceversa we use proportion: 360° : 2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 𝜃 ° : 𝜃(𝑟𝑎𝑑)
Example 1: Example 2:
If 𝜃 = 60° , what is the value of 𝜃 in radians? If 𝜃 = 1𝑟𝑎𝑑, what is the value of 𝜃 in degrees?
Solution: 360° : 2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 60° : 𝜃 Solution: 𝜃 = 57,3°
2𝜋𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝜋
𝜃 = 60𝑥 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑 = 1,05 𝑟𝑎𝑑
360 3

Based on the definition angle, it is easy to establish a connection between 𝑠

the distance and the angle described in a circular motion. Distance is equal 𝜃= 𝑠 = 𝑟𝜃
𝑟
lengh of arc.
 ANGULAR VELOCITY
An object’s average angular velocity during a time
interval ∆t is its angular displacement ∆𝜃 divided by ∆t:
∆𝜃
𝜔𝑎𝑣 = SI unit: radian per second (rad/s)
∆𝑡
By analogy with linear velocity, instantaneous angular
velocity 𝜔, is defined as the limit of the average velocity
at the time interval approaches zero:
∆𝜃
𝜔= , ∆𝑡 → 0 SI unit: radian per second (rad/s)
∆𝑡
We take 𝜔 to be positive when 𝜔 is increasing (counterclockwise motion), and negative when 𝜔 is decreasing
(clockwise motion). When the angular velocity is constant, the instantaneous angular velocity is equal to the
average angular velocity.

►linear velocity and angular velocity ∆𝑙 ∆𝜃

𝑣 = ∆𝑡, 𝜔 = ∆𝑡
If the material point moves along a circular line of radius r, the material
point of infinite little time ∆𝑡 describes the angle ∆𝜃 and distance
equal to the length of arc ∆𝑙. ∆𝑙 = 𝑟∆𝜃
This show that the speed 𝑣 of an object trevelling around a circle
depends on two quantities: 𝑟∆𝜃
Its angular velocity 𝜔 and its distance from the centre of the circle r. 𝑣= = 𝑟𝜔
∆𝑡
 UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION
Uniform circular motion can be described as the motion of an
object in a circle with a constant linear velocity (𝑣 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡).
Uniform circular motion can be described as the motion of an object
in a circle with a constant angular velocity (𝜔 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡).
The distance which cross the material point for some time is equal
to the product of relating velocity and that time.
s= 𝑣 ∙ 𝑡
The angle that describes the material point for some time is equal
to the product of the angular velocity and that time The velocity vector shows the direction
of motion at any point on the circle.
𝜃 =𝜔∙𝑡

If T is the time in which object makes one full revolution. We call T the period of the motion. Since the speed is
2𝜋𝑟
constant and the object covers a distance of 2𝜋𝑟 in a time t, it follow that 𝑣 =
𝑇
We may also note that the object sweeps out an angle of 2𝜋 radians in a time equal to the period, so we define
the angular speed of the object by
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑤𝑒𝑝𝑡 2𝜋
𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝜔=
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑛 𝑇

𝑛 𝑛=1 1
Frequency is number of revolutions per unit of time. 𝑓 = → →𝑓= .
𝑡 𝑡=𝑇 𝑇
So frequency is the reciprocial of the period. SI unit: hertz (Hz)
 NORMAL ACCELERATION (CENTRIPETAL ACCELERATION)
Object moves along a circle of radius r with constant magnitude of
velocity 𝑣, (angular and tangential acceleration are equal to zero) 𝑣Ԧ3
𝑣2 𝑣Ԧ2 𝑎Ԧ𝑛3
experience normal acceleration that has magnitude given by 𝑎𝑛 =
𝑟
𝑎Ԧ𝑛2
and is directed toward the centre of the circle. 0
𝑎Ԧ𝑛1
SI unit: meter per second squared (m/𝒔𝟐 )

𝑣2
𝑟 2 𝜔2
𝑎𝑛 = 𝑣 =𝑟∙𝜔 𝑎𝑛 = = 𝑟𝜔2 𝑣Ԧ1
𝑟 𝑟
The normal acceleration vector
is normal to the velocity vector.
Normal acceleration characterizes the change in the direction of
the velocity 𝑣.
Ԧ

The cook of a water accelerometer point

inward towards the center of the circle when
placed upon a rotating platform, thus
indicating an inward acceleration for circular
motion.
 TANGENTIAL ACCELERATION
If the magnitude of the velocity vector changes,we have 𝑎Ԧ 𝑡 𝑎Ԧ 𝑡
tangential acceleration.This is vector directed along the
𝑣Ԧ
vector if the velocity is increasing (picture a), and opposite 𝑣Ԧ
if the velocity is decreasing (picture b). The magnitude of
𝛥𝑣
the tangential acceleration is given by: 𝑎𝑡 = picture (a) picture (b)
𝛥𝑡

The golfer example problem

When he is getting ready to swing, the tangential acceleration is zero and as he
swings the driver down towards the ball, the tangential acceleration increases Hence
there is an tangential acceleration (Same holds true for angular acceleration).

TOTAL ACCELERATION
The foregoing derivations concern circular motion
at constant speed. When an object moves in a 𝑎Ԧ𝑡
circle but is speeding up (picture b) or slowing 𝑎Ԧ𝑡
down (picture a), a tangential component of 𝑎Ԧ𝑛 𝑎Ԧ 𝑎Ԧ𝑛
𝑣Ԧ 𝑣Ԧ
acceleration, 𝑎𝑡 = 𝑟𝛼, is also present. Because 𝑎Ԧ
the tangential and centripetal components of
0 0
acceleration are perpendicular (normal) to each
other, we can find the magnitude of the total
acceleration with the Pythagorean theorem:
𝑎= 𝑎𝑡2 + 𝑎𝑛2 picture a picture b
 ANGULAR ACCELERATION
An object’s average angular acceleration 𝑎𝑎𝑣 during the time
interval ∆t is the change in its angular velocity ∆𝜔 divided by ∆t:
∆𝜔
𝛼𝑎𝑣 = SI unit: radian per second squared (rad/𝒔𝟐 )
∆𝑡
The instantaneous angular acceleration 𝛼 is the limit of the average
angular acceleration ∆𝜔Τ∆𝑡 as the time interval ∆t approaches zero:
∆𝜔
𝛼= , ∆𝑡 → 0 SI unit: radian per second squared (rad/𝒔𝟐 )
∆𝑡

If the angular velocity increases, the angular acceleration is positive

If the angular velocity decreases, angular acceleration is negative

►tangential and angular acceleration

The tangential acceleration of a point on a rotating object equals the distance of that point from the axis of
rotation multiplied by the angular acceleration.

∆𝑣 ∆𝜔
∆𝑣 𝑟∆𝜔
𝑎𝑡 = , α= ∆𝑣 = 𝑟∆𝜔 𝑎𝑡 = = = 𝑟𝛼
∆𝑡 ∆𝑡 ∆𝑡 ∆𝑡
Linear motion Curcular motion
distance (s) angle (𝜃)
displacement (∆𝑥) angular displacement (∆𝜃)
∆𝑥 ∆𝜃
velocity (𝑣) 𝑣= angular velocity (𝜔) 𝜔=
∆𝑡 ∆𝑡
∆𝑣 ∆𝜔
acceleration (a) 𝑎= angular acceleration (𝛼) 𝛼=
∆𝑡 ∆𝑡

NON-UNIFORM CIRCULAR MOTION-FORMULAS

Uniformly-accelerated motion Uniformly-accelerated circular motion

velocity as a function of angular velocity as a
𝑣 = 𝑣0 + 𝑎𝑡 𝜔 = 𝜔0 + 𝛼𝑡
time function of time
distance as a function of 𝑎𝑡 2 𝛼𝑡 2
𝑠 = 𝑣0 𝑡 + angle as a function of time 𝜃 = 𝜔0 𝑡 +
time 2 2
velocity as a function of angular velocity as a
𝑣= 𝑣02 + 2𝑎𝑠 𝜔= 𝜔02 + 2𝛼𝜃
distance function of angle

Uniformly-deccelerated motion Uniformly-deccelerated circular motion

velocity as a function of angular velocity as a
𝑣 = 𝑣0 − 𝑎𝑡 𝜔 = 𝜔0 − 𝛼𝑡
time function of time
distance as a function of 𝑎𝑡 2 𝛼𝑡 2
𝑠 = 𝑣0 𝑡 − angle as a function of time 𝜃 = 𝜔0 𝑡 −
time 2 2
velocity as a function of angular velocity as a
𝑣= 𝑣02 − 2𝑎𝑠 𝜔= 𝜔02 − 2𝛼𝜃
distance function of angle
 PROBLEMS
I. Convert the following angles from degrees into radians: 30° ,60° ,90° .
𝜋
II. Convert the following angles from radians into degrees: 45rad, 𝜋rad, rad.
2
III. Find the angular velocity of:
a) daily rotation of the earth
b) a minute hand watch
c) a second hand watch
d) if the length of the second hand is 1,8cm, calculate the speed of the tips of the second hand as it
moves round
IV. A point moves along a circle of radius 5cm. It makes 30 revolutions in 10s. Find linear velocity and
normal acceleration of a point.
V. A point moves along a circle of radius 20cm with period 2s. Find linear velocity and angular velocity
of a point.
VI. A car travels around a 90° bend in 15s. The radius of the band is 50m.
a) Determinate the angular velocity of the car
b) Determinate the linear velocity of the car
VII. Find the linear velocity and centripetal acceleration of an artificial satellite of the Earth rotating along
a circular orbit with the period of revolution T=98 min .Its orbit is at a distance of 200 km from"the
Earth's surface. The radius of Earth is 6,4∙106 m.
 𝑚 𝑚
VIII. Tangential acceleration and normal acceleration of a point are: 0,3 and 0,4 . Find total
𝑠2 𝑠2
acceleration of a point.
𝑚
IX. A point moves along a circle. Normal acceleration of a point is 2 2 . If the vector of the total
𝑠
acceleration of a point on the rim forms an angle of 60° with the direction of the linear velocity of this
point, find total acceleration of a point.
X. The drum of a washing machine spins at a rate 1200rpm (revolution per minute)
a) Determinate the number of revolution per second of the drum
b) Determinate the angular velocity of the drum
XI. In one minute after it begins to rotate a flywheel acquires a angular velocity corresponding 720rpm.
Find the angular acceleration of the wheel.
𝑟𝑎𝑑 𝑟𝑎𝑑
XII. When braked a uniformly retarded wheel reduce its angular velocity from 10𝜋 to 6𝜋 during
𝑠 𝑠
one minute. Find the angular acceleration of the wheels and number of revolution it computes in this
time.
XIII. A shaft rotates at a constant angular velocity corresponding to the frequency 180rpm. At a certain
𝑟𝑎𝑑
moment the shaft is braked and begin to slow down uniformly with an angular acceleration 3 𝑠2
a) How much time will the shaft need to stop?
b) What number of revolution will it perform before stopping?
XIV. The graph the variation of the angular velocity of a point with time.
a) Draw the graph showing variation of angular acceleration with time
b) Find the angle which describe material point during all time of motion

𝑟𝑎𝑑
𝜔
𝑠
6

0 2 6 8
𝑡 𝑠
4