Uniform Circular Motion Lecture Review

These flashcards cover key concepts related to uniform circular motion, including definitions, formulas, and examples relevant to the lecture notes.

What is uniform circular motion?

Motion in which an object moves in a circle at a constant speed, changing direction continuously.

In uniform circular motion, how does the magnitude of velocity change?

The magnitude of the object's velocity remains constant, but its direction changes.

What happens to the velocity vector as an object moves from position 1 to position 2 in a circular path?

The velocity vector changes from v₁ to v₂ while the displacement position vector R rotates through an angle.

What is the formula for average acceleration in uniform circular motion?

A_avg = Δv/Δt, where Δv is the change in velocity and Δt is the time interval.

How do you find instantaneous acceleration at any point in circular motion?

a_inst = lim (Δv/Δt) as Δt approaches 0.

What is the formula for centripetal acceleration (a_c)?

a_c = v²/R, where v is the speed and R is the radius of the circular path.

Calculate the centripetal acceleration of a locomotive with radius 250 m traveling at 70 km/h. What is the acceleration?

a_c = 1.51 m/s² when converted to m/s and using the formula.

How do you calculate centripetal acceleration for a carousel with diameter 4.0 m and period 6.0 s?

Using the formula a_c = 4π²R/T² results in approximately 2.2 m/s².

In the rotor ride, what centripetal acceleration is required to keep patrons from falling?

Patrons require a centripetal acceleration of about 25 m/s².

If an airplane flies in a circle of radius 500 m with a centripetal acceleration of 20 m/s², how long does it take to complete the circle?

It takes approximately 31 seconds to complete the circle.

How do you determine minimum frequency in a rotor that requires centripetal acceleration of 25 m/s²?

Find frequency using f = 1/T where T is calculated from centripetal acceleration conditions.

What was the process used for a complete rotation of a small girl on a carousel?

Centripetal acceleration calculated as a_c = 4π²R/T² using T from full rotation time.