Circular Motion: Motion Direction of an Object with and without Centripetal Force

INTRODUCTION
Newton's second law states that the net force Fnet exerted on a moving body is equal to the product of a body's
mass m and its acceleration 
1. Fnet = ma

When applying Newton's second law to circular motion, it is convenient to use coordinates that are parallel and
perpendicular to the object's motion.
2. F|| = ma||

3. F⊥ = ma⊥
For a body moving in a straight line, the acceleration is due to a change in the magnitude of the velocity. For a
body moving in a circular path with constant speed the magnitude |v| of the velocity does not change, but the direction of
the velocity vector v constantly changes. In this case the object has no acceleration in the direction parallel to its motion
and F|| in Eq. (2) is zero. This motion is called uniform circular motion.
Uniform circular motion occurs when an object goes around in a circle at constant speed. Note that although the
object’s velocity is constant in magnitude, it is not constant in direction, and thus the object is accelerating even though its
speed is constant! Since the object is accelerating, there must be a net force on it. One of our goals for this laboratory is
to remind ourselves that the force on and acceleration of an object traveling in a circle with a constant speed are inward,
i.e., toward the center of the circle. We will determine the magnitude of the inward (centripetal) acceleration experimentally
and then multiply it by the mass to calculate the magnitude of the required centripetal force. We will then attempt to show
that, for this experiment, the force responsible for centripetal acceleration is provided by a spring. The tension in the
spring is equal to Fspring = mac. We can measure the period of revolution by using a stopwatch to measure the time
required for 10 rotations, and then we can calculate a measured value for the tangential speed, velocity, and the
centripetal acceleration (ac).

OBJECTIVES
1. To determine the motion direction of an object with the absence of centripetal force (Proving non-existence of
centrifugal force).
2. Calculate centripetal force during uniform circular motion.
3. Compare centripetal force with another known force.

FOR THE FIRST OBJECTIVE EXPERIMENT:

MATERIALS
1. Plastic tube (i.e. a pen, after removing the ink cartridge so that it is open from both sides).
2. Two meters of string
3. 50g or 100g hooked mass (A mass that can be tied with a rope)
4. Small iron nail, a toothpick or a small plastic ball
PROCEDURE
1. Tie a hooked mass with a string.
2. Insert the other side of the string into the plastic tube until about half of the string is inserted.
 3. Tie a light nail (or a toothpick or a small plastic ball) with the other side of the string. (The purpose of this is
to prevent pulling the rope from the tube during the circular motion of the metal mass).
4. Hold the plastic tube from the middle of the string.
5. Rotate the metal mass in a horizontal circular motion above your head while keeping the hanging side with
the nail steady in the other hand. (As in the figure).
6. At a certain point for the metal mass and while rotating, let go of the string. Observe the motion direction
of the metal mass.
7. Repeat the experiment several times to confirm the correct direction.

SAFETY REMARKS

1. Wherever you conduct the experiment, ensure that you are at a safe distance from people,
windows, doors, furniture, etc.
2. Make sure that you tied the mass and the nail firmly so that it cannot escape during motion.

CONCLUSION
1. Write a description for the metal mass motion after releasing it from uniform circular motion.

QUESTION

1. From this experiment, draw the direction of motion of the metal mass movement when releasing it in the
following positions.
FOR THE SECOND AND THIRD OBJECTIVES EXPERIMENT:
MATERIALS
1. Plastic tube (i.e. a pen, after removing the ink cartridge so that it is open from both sides).
2. One meters of string
3. Two hooked masses: 50g and 100g hooked mass (that can be tied with a rope)
4. Stopwatch

PROCEDURE
1. Tie the big hooked mass (100g) with one side of the string.
2. Insert the other side of the string into the plastic tube.
3. Tie the small hooked mass (50g) with the other side of the string so that it is hanging from the plastic tube.
4. Choose the radius of the circular path i.e. the string length at the upper side (according to the table below)
and hold the plastic tube from its edge to prevent the rope from sliding.
5. Rotate the big metal mass (100g) in a horizontal circular motion above your head while keeping the hanging
side without touching it.
6. When you feel that the motion is steady and uniform, release the rope from the plastic tube side to be free
while rotating as in the figure below.

7. When the velocity is constant, ask your colleague to start timing at a certain point you agree upon
and simultaneously count 10 completed cycles by the big metal (100g) mass.

8. Repeat the experiment four times and record the results in the table below. Make sure that all the
measurements are expressed in the International System of units (SI).

Weight of Velocity time (t) radius (r) Trial

Centripetal
hanging mass Force(F) (10 cycles) (rope length from
(v)
W = mg upper side)
 m v2
F=
r
0.49 N 0.3 m

0.49 N 0.4 m

0.49 N 0.5 m

0.49 N 0.6 m

Table 1.

SAFETY REMARKS

1. Ensure that you are at a safe distance from people, windows, doors, furniture…etc. inside the place in
which the experiment is conducted.
2. Make sure that you tied the two masses firmly so that they cannot escape during motion.

CONCLUSION

1. Compare between the calculated centripetal force and the weight of the hanging mass (m= 50g). What do you
conclude?
2. What forces affect the big rotating mass?
3. What is the value of tension force on the rope? What is its relationship with centripetal force? What is its
relationship with the force of hanging mass weight?
4. Why were the two masses steady during motion without the rope slipping towards one of them?

QUESTIONS

1. What do you expect to happen if we exchange the positions of the two masses so that the small one is at
the top while the big one is at the bottom? Try it.
2. What would happen if you increased the circular motion velocity? What would happen if you decreased
the circular motion velocity? Try it.
 Write a description for the metal mass motion after releasing it from uniform circular motion.

Additional Question:

From this experiment, draw the direction of motion of the metal mass movement when releasing it in the
following positions:

Rotation
Rotation
direction
direction