1.Easy
A 1400 kg car drives around a flat curve of radius 30 m at a constant 25 m/s. Find the inward (centripetal) force Fc needed.
m = 1400 kgv = 25 m/sr = 30 m
Fc = N
Circular motion worksheet with answers
2.Easy
A 1800 kg car drives around a flat curve of radius 40 m at a constant 12 m/s. Find the inward (centripetal) force Fc needed.
m = 1800 kgv = 12 m/sr = 40 m
Fc = N
3.Medium
A car takes a flat curve of radius 55 m. The coefficient of static friction between tyres and road is 0.5. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the highest speed vmax at which the car can take the curve without skidding.
r = 55 mμs = 0.5g = 9.81 m/s²
vmax = m/s
4.Medium
In a fairground rotor, riders stand against the wall of a vertical cylinder of radius 3.2 m. When it spins fast enough the floor drops away and friction holds them up. The coefficient of static friction is 0.4. Use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the smallest angular speed ω in rad/s.
r = 3.2 mμs = 0.4g = 9.81 m/s²
ω = rad/s
5.Hard
A 1.8 kg ball on a light string 0.5 m long is swung in a vertical circle. At the lowest point its speed is 6.5 m/s. Ignore air resistance and use g = 9.81 m/s². Find the tension Ttop in the string at the highest point.
m = 1.8 kgr = 0.5 mvbottom = 6.5 m/sg = 9.81 m/s²
Ttop = N
6.Hard
A ball on a string 0.8 m long is swung in a vertical circle. Use g = 9.81 m/s². What is the smallest speed vmin at the top for which the string just stays tight?
r = 0.8 mg = 9.81 m/s²
vmin = m/s
Answer key
- 1. Fc = 29167 N
- 2. Fc = 6480 N
- 3. vmax = 16.42 m/s
- 4. ω = 2.768 rad/s
- 5. Ttop = 63.81 N
- 6. vmin = 2.801 m/s
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