AP Physic 1

Circular Motion

By
Phatsakorn Rodphol

Ms. Susana Alulod

Mahidol University International
Demonstration School
Semester 1 Academic year 2018-2019
Objective
To show how does the centripetal force (Fc) depend on tangential velocity (Vc) and
the radius (R) and show how mass (m) affect circular motion.

Introduction
The circular motion is the motion that the object is moving in the circular path. The
circular motion can be divided into two type : uniform and non-uniform circular motion.
First, the uniform circular motion is the motion of the object that in a circle at the constant
speed (magnitude), but the velocity (direction) is changing. It can also be known the
horizontal circular motion. At all position of the object in the uniform circular motion, the
velocity will always tangent to the circle. This can also be call the tangential velocity. The
changing in the direction of the velocity create the centripetal acceleration. Centripetal
acceleration is the vector that point toward the center of the circle (center seeking) and
perpendicular to the tangential velocity. Furthermore, the centripetal acceleration is the
acceleration that change the direction of the object (make the object moving in the circular
v2
path). The formula of the centriple acceleration is a c = r

The centripletal acceleration is the thing that craete the centriplal force. The centripetal force
is the net force that acts on the object to keep it moving along the circular path. According to
v2
the Newton Second Law’s: ΣF = ma . As the centripetal acceleration is a c = r
. The
2
centripetal force is ΣF = m( vr ) .
The non uniform circular motion is the motion that the centripetal velocity is keep changing
along the circular motion because the object in this motion is under the influence of
gravitational acceleration. It can also be called the vertical circular motion. The velocity will
largest at the bottom of the motion and it will lowest at the top of the motion.

In this experiment, I use the centripetal apparatus to examine the different of

centripetal force and centripetal acceleration when changing the mass and the radius of the
circular motion.
Material

1. 100 grams Weights

2. Centripetal Force Apparatus

3. LabQuest
4. Stop Watch

Setting
Procedure
1. Set the radius to be 16 cm
2. Add 100 gram mass
3. Sustain the centripetal force of 1 newton
4. Measure the period
5. Add 100 gram mass
6. Follow step 3 and repeat it
7. Reduce the radius to 8 cm
8. Repeat step 2

Data & results

Radius: 16 cm

Mass (g) 100 200 300

60 60 60
Period (T) 66 55 54

Radius: 8 cm

Mass (g) 100 200 300

10 10 10
Period (T) 16 14 10

Calculation

Radius 16 cm, mass 100 g

2πr 2π×16×10 −2
v= T = 0.909 = 1.105 m/s
v2 1.105 2
a= r = 16×10 −2
= 7.63 m/ s2
mv 2 100×10 −3 ×1.105 2
Fc = r = 16×10 −2
= 0.76 N
Radius 16 cm, mass 200 g
2πr 2π×16×10 −2
v= T = 1.09 = 0.92 m/s
v2 0.92 2
a= r = 16×10 −2
= 5.29 m/ s2
mv 2 200×10 −3 ×0.92 2
Fc = r = 16×10 −2
= 1.058 N

Radius 16 cm, mass 300 g

2πr 2π×16×10 −2
v= T = 1.11 = 0.905 m/s
v2 0.905 2
a= r = 16×10 −2
= 5.11 m/ s2
mv 2 300×10 −3 ×0.905 2
Fc = r = 16×10 −2
= 1.535 N

Radius 8 cm, mass 100 g

2πr 2π×8×10 −2
v= T = 0.625 = 0.804 m/s
v2 0.804 2
a= r = 8×10 −2
= 8.08 m/ s2
mv 2 100×10 −3 ×0.804 2
Fc = r = 8×10 −2
= 0.808 N

Radius 8 cm, mass 200 g

2πr 2π×8×10 −2
v= T = 0.714 = 0.7039 m/s
v2 0.7039 2
a= r = 8×10 −2
= 6.19 m/ s2
mv 2 200×10 −3 ×0.7039 2
Fc = r = 8×10 −2
= 1.2387 N

Radius 8 cm, mass 300 g

2πr 2π×8×10 −2
v= T = 1 = 0.5027 m/s
v2 0.5027 2
a= r = 8×10 −2
= 3.158 m/ s2
mv 2 300×10 −3 ×0.5027 2
Fc = r = 8×10 −2
= 0.947 N
Analysis
As the mass increase, the centripetal force also increase according to the formula of
2
centripetal force ΣF = m( vr ) . The mass is directly proportional to the centripetal force.
But, the acceleration is decreased ΣF = ma . The mass is inversely porpotional to the
acceleration. As the mass is increase, the acceleration will be decrease. Furthermore, the
v2
velocity also decrease according to a c = r
. As the acceleration is decrease because of the
increase in mass, this make the decrease in velocity because the radius is constant. In the
similar way, if we decrease the radius of the circular path, the centripetal force will increase.
In this experiment, they are some of the error of the value on the calculate of radius 8 cm,
mass 300g because the value of its centripetal force is lower than in the Radius 8 cm, mass
200 g. This error happen because we may swing Centripetal Force Apparatus not constantly
(at the low speed).

Conclusion
If the mass of the object in the uniform circular motion is increased, the centripetal
force that point into the center of the circle also increase. Furthermore, if the radius of the
circular path is decrease, the centripetal force will increase according to the formula of
2
centripetal force ΣF = m( vr ) . As the mass is increase, the centripetal accleration will
decrease

Recommendation
In this experiment, I suggest that it will be better to use the centripetal force apparatus
that can swing the object with the constant speed. Therefore, this will lower the error in the
calculation of centripetal force, centripetal acceleration, and tangential velocity.

Reference
- Uniform Circular Motion. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/mmedia/circmot/ucm.cfm
- Centripetal force and gravitation | Physics | Science. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/physics/centripetal-force-and-gravitation/moda
l/a/what-is-centripetal-force