Exercise 16.

1 Angular measure

The radian is a more 'natural' unit of measurement of angles than the degree. Angles in radians can be calculated
knowing the length s of the arc subtended by the angle and the radius r of the circle: 0 = ~. This exercise provides
practice in calculating angles in radians and converting between degrees and radians.
1 For each diagram a-f, calculate the unknown quantity 0 in radians, s or r, from the other two:

1.S0m s

e
1.oom

C
a
b

0.48m
s
r
1.81 rad

d e
Figure 16.1: For Question 1. Circles with angle, radius and arc labelled.

2 When an object moves around a complete circle, its angular displacement is 21rradians or 360°.
a Show that one radian is approximately equal to 57°.
b Convert each of these angles in degrees to radians:
20°
ii 75°
iii 175°.
c Convert each of the following angles in radians to degrees:
0.40 rad
ii 1.35 rad
iii 2.0 rad.
d Express each of these angles as multiples of 1rradians:
180°
ii 90°
iii 45°.
3 This diagram shows how an angle of one radian is defined - the arc subtended by the angle is equal in length to
the radius of the circle:

Figure 16.2: For Question 3. Diagram showing how an angle of one radian is defined.

a Draw a similar diagram to show the dimensions of an angle of 2.0 radians.

b Draw a similar diagram to show the dimensions of an angle of f radians.

If a question about circular motion seems unclear, draw a diagram of the circle
and angles involved to help your understanding.
4 You may need to find the value of a trigonometric function (such as sine or cosine) of an angle whose value is
given in radians. Make sure that you know how to set your calculator to work with angles in radians.
Check that your calculator shows that sin (1.0 rad)= 0.841.
a Calculate the values of the following, where all angles are given in radians; give your answers to three
significant figures:
cos 1.0
ii tan 1.0
iii sin 0.10
iv sin ( f)
V
cos ( f)
Your calculator is likely to have a n key.
b Determine the following angles; give your answers in radians to three significant figures:
sin-1 0.50
ii cos-1 (-0.65)
Exercise 16.2 Uniform circular motion

An object that moves around a circular path at a steady speed is described as having uniform circular motion. This is
an exercise to develop understanding of the relationships between velocity, angular velocity, period, angle and
radius.
1 A fairground ride consists of several cars travelling around on a vertical wheel of radius r = 20.0 m. Each car
makes one complete circuit in a time T = 35 s.
a During each circuit, a car travels around 360°. This is its angular displacement 0. Give the value of 0 in
radians.
b Calculate the car's angular velocity w.
c Calculate the distance travelled by the car during one circuit (= 2irr).
d Calculate the car's speed v using speed = ditst ance.
1me
e Calculate the car's speed using v = rw. Check that your answers to d and e are the same.
2 Two runners, A and B, are jogging side by side around a circular running track.
a The radius of runner /'\s circular path is 100.0 m. Calculate the distance travelled in one complete circuit.
(Give your answer to one decimal place.)
b Runner B jogs beside runner A, at a distance of 0.80 m further from the centre of the track. How much
further does runner B travel than runner A when completing a circuit?
c Runner A runs at a steady speed of 5.0 m s-1. Determine the speed at which runner B must run in order to
stay beside runner A.

3 A train moves along a curved section of track at a steady speed of 18.0 m s-1 .
a The curved section of track has a length of 900 m. Deduce how long it will take the train to travel this
distance.
b The radius of curvature of the track is 3.60 km. Calculate the angle through which the train has moved (its
angular displacement). Remember:
l. d. length of arc
ange 1n ra 1ans = radius
c Calculate the angular velocity of the train.
d Draw a diagram to show the curved section of the track. Add arrows to show the velocity of the train at the
start of the section and at the end.
Exercise 16.3 Centripetal acceleration

An object moving in a circle must be acted on by a resultant force which is not zero. In this exercise, you need to
decide whether an object is acted on by a non-zero resultant force. If there is a non-zero resultant force towards the
centre, you can then calculate quantities such as angular velocity and acceleration.
1 a Describe the motion of an object which is acted on by balanced forces (resultant force = 0).
b The resultant force acting on an object as it travels around in a circle is a cause of centripetal
acceleration. State the direction of the force.
2 This diagram shows an object at several points around its path. It is moving with uniform circular motion in a
clockwise direction:

Figure 16.3: For Question 2. Diagram showing an object at several points around its path, moving with uniform
circular motion in a clockwise direction.

a Explain what the word uniform tells you about the object's speed.
b State whether the object's velocity is constant. Explain your answer.
c Copy the diagram and add an arrow (labelled v) to each image of the object to represent its velocity. Add a
second arrow (labelled F) to represent the resultant force acting on it.
3

-
This diagram shows a rubber bung being moved around in a circle on the end of a length of string:

~sion
~

Figure 16.4: For Question 3. A rubber bung being moved around in a circle on the end of a length of string.

The bung travels with constant speed around eight complete circuits in 10 s. The radius r of its path is 40.0 cm.
a State the name of the force that provides the centripetal force which causes the bung to travel in a circle.
b Calculate the speed v of the bung.
2
C
Use the equation a= vr to calculate the bung's centripetal acceleration.
d Draw a diagram of the bung, as viewed from above, and add arrows to show the directions of its velocity
and its acceleration.
e State the other quantity you would need to know in order to determine the centripetal force acting on the
bung.
f Describe how the bung will move if the girl releases the string.
4 The Earth is kept in its orbit by the gravitational pull of the Sun:

Earth

.. '
gravitational
Sun pull of Sun
..
'

.._______
Figure 16.5: For Question 4. The Earth is kept in its orbit by the gravitational pull of the Sun.

a State how long it takes the Earth to orbit the Sun. Give your answer in seconds.
b Calculate the Earth's angular velocity w around the Sun.
c The radius of the Earth's orbit is 150 x 106 km. Use the equation a = rw 2 to calculate the Earth's centripetal
acceleration around the Sun.
d The gravitational acceleration of an object near the Earth's surface is 9.8 m s-2 . How many times greater is
this than your answer to part c?
5 A car is travelling at 28 m s-1 along a curved section of road. The radius of curvature of the road is 300 m.
a Calculate the car's centripetal acceleration.
b The car has a mass of 1200 kg. Calculate the centripetal force acting on the car.
The road surface is banked at an angle 0 (that is, it slopes across the direction of travel) so that the car can
travel around the bend without slipping. This diagram shows the forces acting on the car: its weight mg and the
contact force of the road N. There is no frictional force acting up or down the slope.

N vertical
♦ component
,0
I
....-
horizontal
component
Figure 16.6: For Question 5b. Diagram showing the forces acting on a car on a banked road.

Any force that has a component at right angles to an object's velocity will provide
a centripetal acceleration.

c What force provides the car's centripetal acceleration? State its direction.
d The best angle of banking is given by this equation:
tan0 = .i_
rg

Find the value of 0 for vehicles travelling at 28 m s-1.

6 This diagram shows a rubber bung on the end of a length of string:

---- --- --- ..---- - -- - ------ --------

Figure 16.7: For Question 6. Diagram showing a rubber bung on the end of a length of string moving in a
horizontal circle.

The bung is being swung around in a horizontal circle at constant speed. The string makes an angle of 60° with
the vertical.
a Two forces act on the bung. Name these forces and draw a free body diagram to show their directions.
b The mass of the bung is 150 g. Calculate its weight.
c The weight of the bung is balanced by the vertical component of the tension in the string. Use this fact to
calculate the tension in the string.
d The centripetal force acting on the bung is provided by the horizontal component of the tension. Calculate
the value of this horizontal component.
e Calculate the bung's acceleration.
f The radius of the bung's path is 60 cm. Calculate its speed.
g Calculate the time taken for one complete revolution of the bung.
EXAM-STYLE QUESTIONS

1 a Explain what is meant by the term angular velocity. [2]

b A merry-go-round in a children's park completes 10 revolutions in one minute.

Calculate its angular velocity. [2]

c A child sitting on the edge of the merry-go-round is at a distance of 1.20 m from

the entre. Calculate the child's centripetal acceleration. [2]

d The child moves closer to the centre of the ride. State whether each of these
quantities increases, decreases or stays the same:
angular velocity
ii centripetal acceleration
iii resultant force that causes centripetal acceleration. [3]
[Total: 9]

2 A racing cyclist is practising by cycling around a flat, circular track. The track has a
radius of 50.0 m.
a The cyclist travels half-way around the track. Show that his angular displacement
is 1r:radians. [2]

b The electronic timing system indicates that the cyclist took 11.51 s to complete
this ride. Calculate his angular velocity and his speed. [3]
c The cyclist, together with his bicycle, has a mass of 94.2 kg. Calculate the
centripetal force acting on the cyclist. [2]

d The centripetal force is provided by the frictional force of the track on the bicycle's
tyres. Describe how the cyclist will move if there is insufficient friction to keep him
on course as he travels around the track. [2]
[Total: 9]

3 The diagram shows an aircraft flying in a horizontal circle at a constant speed. The
weight of the aircraft is shown by the force Wand the lift by the force L.

L
centre of
circular
orbit
•-------------------------------
w
Figure 16.8

a Explain how the lift force keeps the aircraft flying in a horizontal circle at a
constant speed. [3]

b The aircraft has a mass of 1.5 x 105

kg and flies in a horizontal circle of radius 2.5
km. The centripetal force acting on the aircraft is 1.9 x 106 N and the lift force L =
2.4 x 106 N. Calculate:
the speed of the aircraft [2]

ii the angle between the lift force L and the horizontal. [2]

[Total: 7]