Chapter 5: Circular Motion; Gravitation

These flashcards cover key concepts from Chapter 5 on Circular Motion and Gravitation, including definitions, laws, and applications.

What is uniform circular motion?

Motion in a circle of constant radius at constant speed.

What is the acceleration in uniform circular motion called?

Centripetal, or radial, acceleration, which points towards the center of the circle.

What must be true for an object in uniform circular motion?

There must be a net force acting on it towards the center.

What role does friction play for a car going around a curve?

When the road is flat, friction provides the net force towards the center of the curve.

What happens if the frictional force is insufficient for a car on a curve?

The car will tend to move straight, which can lead to skidding.

How do banked curves help with circular motion?

They create a situation where the entire centripetal force can be supplied by the normal force without requiring friction.

What is needed for non-uniform circular motion?

A tangential component to its acceleration as well as the radial component.

What is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation?

The gravitational force is proportional to both masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

What does the gravitational force on a person on Earth equal?

It is part of a Third Law pair, where Earth exerts a downward force and the person exerts an upward force.

What does experiencing weightlessness in orbit imply?

Objects are in free fall with no normal force acting on them.

What do Kepler's laws describe regarding planetary motion?

They describe elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus, equal area sweeps in equal times, and the relationship between orbital period and distance from the Sun.

What are the four fundamental forces recognized in modern physics?

Gravity, electromagnetism, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force.

How does Newton’s work connect to planetary motion?

Newton’s laws can derive Kepler’s laws, and irregularities in planetary motion led to discoveries like Neptune.

What happens during the Cavendish experiment?

The magnitude of the gravitational constant G is measured.

What is the effect of altitude on gravitational force?

The acceleration due to gravity varies due to altitude, local geology, and Earth's shape.