Honors Physics - Uniform Circular Motion

Uniform Circular Motion unit of high school physics

The object experiences a force, which has a component directed ___.

The object experiences a force, which has a component directed ___.

towards the center of the circle

___ causes objects to move in a circle.

Centripetal force

There can be a force pushing outwards as long as the net force is ___.

inwards

In UCM, even though the speed is constant, acceleration is ___.

not zero

In UCM, why can an object have a velocity that can be constant, but still have acceleration?

As the object is in UCM, the magnitude of the velocity will be the same, but the direction of the object’s motion is always changing. Due to the changing direction of the object’s motion, acceleration is not zero.

The acceleration and the net force vector are directed ___.

inward

If the net force upon the object is suddenly reduced to zero, the the object would ___.

suddenly depart from its circular path and travel tangent to the circle

What force causes this object to travel in a circular path?

An eraser is tied to a string swung in a horizontal circle.

Tension force

What force causes this object to travel in a circular path?

The moon orbits the earth.

Gravitational force

What force causes this object to travel in a circular path?

A car makes a sharp right-hand turn along a level roadway.

Friction

What force causes this object to travel in a circular path?

A roller coaster car passes through a loop. Consider the car at the bottom of the loop.

Normal