Circular Motion-FAQs

What is Circular Motion?

When any object moves in a circular path, it is said to be in circular motion. For example, when a car moves around a circular track at some speed, when the hands of the analog clock are moving, or when you swing an object tied with a rope in a circular path. In all the examples of circular motion, you will generally encounter an object that will be moving at some speed (constant or varying) around a circular path. Generally, the objects tend to move in a straight motion when you apply some force. But for an object to move in a circular motion, there must be some force acting on the object continuously which will turn the object towards the center of the circular path so that the object changes its direction continuously and thus forms a circular motion....

Circular Motion Example

There are many examples of circular motion which you have already encountered in your life....

Circular Motion in Real Life

There are also situations where you have encountered circular motion of an object in real life too....

Related Concepts to Circular Motion

There are various new terms which comes into the picture when we talk about circular motion. These new terms generally arises from the fact that in circular motion there is angle involved so the terms, such as, angular displacement, angular velocity, or angular acceleration. The image added below shows the Angular Velocity and others in an object performing circular motion....

Equations for Circular Motion

Acceleration which an object faces in circular motion generally has two components:-...

Centripetal Force

Centripetal force is the force which causes any object to undergo in the circular motion. This force is actually responsible for the motion of the object in the circular path....

Centrifugal Force

Now lets talk about Centrifugal force. Have you been in a car when it is moving on a curve or circular path. You must have feel an outward sensation when the car moves in circular motion. While the car is moving in the circular path due to the centripetal force, what you were experiencing was actually the centrifugal force....

Applications of Centripetal Force and Centrifugal Force

Applications of centripetal force and centrifugal force are observed in our daily lives are,...

Types of Circular Motion

Circular motion can be classified into various types based on various factors. In context of physics and mechanics the object can be in circular motion in many different situations. Some common types includes:-...

Uniform Circular Motion

When any object moves in a circular path at some constant speed then we say that the object is in uniform circular motion. Their is no change in the speed of the object and hence there is no acceleration produced. However, it is to be noted that the object is moving in a circular direction and the direction of the object is changing at every point of the path. Hence the centripetal acceleration is applying on the object at every point. This acceleration is inward in direction. But the tangential or linear acceleration is zero as the linear velocity is same....

Non-Uniform Circular Motion

When the object moves in the circular path along a fixed central point at changing speed, more specifically when the magnitude of the velocity changes over a particular period of time, then the object is said to be in non-uniform circular motion. The change in velocity can have implication on radius in non-uniform circular motion as change in velocity can bring the change in the radius of the system of the circular path on which the object is moving....

Application of Circular Motion

Application of circular motion can be found in our everyday life as well as in practical situations. Various application includes,...

Differences Between Uniform and Non-Uniform Circular Motion

Below is listed a table to differentiate between uniform circular motion and non-uniform circular motion....

Circular Motion and Rotational Motion

Below table highlights the difference between the circular motion and the rotational motion....

Circular Motion Formulas

Circular Motion formulas are added in the table below,...

Circular Motion – Solved Examples

Example 1: Find the angular velocity of the boy who is riding the bicycle at a speed of 10 ms-1 on a circular path of radius 25 m....

Circular Motion – Numericals

Q1: A boy with a mass of 25 kg is rides his cycle in a circular path at a speed of 2.5 ms-1. If the radius of the circular path is 2.5 m, then calculate the centripetal acceleration of the boy....

Circular Motion-FAQs

1. What is Called Circular Motion?...