Uniform Circular Motion
Definition
Uniform circular motion refers to an object moving along a circular path with constant speed. The object experiences acceleration towards the center of the circle, known as centripetal acceleration.
Analogy
Think about riding on a merry-go-round. As it spins around, you move in a circle at the same speed without speeding up or slowing down. However, you can feel yourself being pulled towards the center due to the ropes holding onto your seat.
Related terms
Tangential Velocity: Tangential velocity is the instantaneous velocity tangent to the circular path.
Periodic Motion: Uniform circular motion is an example of periodic motion because it repeats itself after completing one full revolution.
Angular Velocity: Angular velocity measures how fast an object rotates around its axis or moves along its circular path.
"Uniform Circular Motion" appears in:
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Practice Questions (4)
In what direction will the normal force act on a cart moving in uniform circular motion on a circular track if the cart is at the bottom?
If you're twirling a pen tied to a string in uniform circular motion and the string breaks, will the pen continue moving in a circle?
For objects moving in uniform circular motion, the velocity vector is always
A tennis ball whirled on the end of a string in a circle moves in uniform circular motion because
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