CIRCULAR MOTION

Definition of Circular Motion

When a particle moves in a plane such that its distance from a fixed (or moving)
point remains constant then its motion is called as circular motion with respect to
that fixed point. That fixed point is called centre and the distance is called radius of
circular path.

Radius Vector :
The vector joining the centre of the circle and the particle performing circular
motion is called radius vector. It has constant magnitude and variable direction. It is
directed outwards.

Frequency (𝒏) :
Number of revolutions described by the particle per sec. is called its frequency. It
unit is revolutions per second (r.p.s.) or revolution per minute (r.p.m.)

Time period (T) :

It is time taken by particle to complete one revolution.
1
T=
n

arc⁡ length 𝑠
 Angle 𝜃 = = 𝑟 (𝜃 must be in radian)
radius

Δ𝜃
 Average angular velocity 𝜔 = (a scalar quantity)
Δ𝑡
𝑑𝜃
 Instantaneous angular velocity 𝜔 = (a vector quantity)
𝑑𝑡

2𝜋
 For uniform angular velocity 𝜔 = = 2𝜋 or 2𝜋𝑛
𝑇
 Angular displacement 𝜃 = 𝜔𝑡
𝑉
 Relation between 𝜔 and 𝑣 𝜔 = 𝑟
In vector form 𝑣⁡
⃗⃗⃗ = 𝜔
⃗ × 𝑟⁡
⃗⃗
𝑑𝑣⁡
⃗⃗⃗ 𝑑 𝑑𝜔⁡
⃗⃗⃗⃗ 𝑑𝑟⁡
⃗⃗⃗
 Acceleration 𝑎⁡
⃗⃗⃗ = = 𝑑𝑡 ⁡ (𝜔⁡ ⃗⃗ ) = ⁡
⃗⃗⃗⃗ × 𝑟⁡ × 𝑟⁡
⃗⃗ + ⁡ 𝜔⁡
⃗⃗⃗⃗ × ⁡ 𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡

= 𝑎⁡
⃗⃗⃗ × ⁡ 𝑟 + ⁡ 𝜔
⃗ ⁡ × ⁡𝑣⁡
⃗⃗⃗ = ⁡ ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎1 + ⁡ ⃗⃗⃗⃗
𝑎𝑐
 𝑑𝑣
 Tangential acceleration : 𝑎𝑡 = = 𝑎𝑟
𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑣
[𝑎⁡
⃗⃗⃗ 𝑡 = 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑒𝑛𝑡⁡𝑜𝑓⁡𝑎⁡ ⃗⃗⃗ = (⃗⃗⃗
⃗⃗⃗ ⁡𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔⁡𝑣⁡ 𝑎⁡. 𝑣̂ )𝑣̂ = ( ) 𝑣̂]
𝑑𝑡

 Centripetal acceleration :
𝑣2
𝑎𝑐 = 𝜔𝑣 = = 𝜔2 𝑟⁡𝑜𝑟⁡𝑎
⃗⃗⃗⃗𝑐 = 𝜔2 𝑟(−𝑟̂ )
𝑟
 Magnitude of net acceleration :
2
𝑣2 𝑑𝑣 2
𝑎= √𝑎𝑐2 + 𝑎12 = √( ) +( )
𝑟 𝑑𝑡
 For constant angular acceleration
𝜔 = 𝜔0 + 𝛼𝑡
1
𝜃 = 𝜔0 𝑡 + 𝛼𝑡 2
2
2 2
𝜔 = 𝜔0 + 2𝛼𝜃
 Maximum speed in circular motion.
 On unbanked road : 𝑣max = √𝜇2 𝑅𝑔
 On banked road:
𝜇𝑠 + tan 𝜃
𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ⁡ √( ) 𝑅𝑔 = ⁡ √tan(𝜃 + ⁡∅)𝑅𝑔
1 − 𝜇𝑠 tan 𝜃
𝑣𝑚𝑖𝑛 = √𝑅𝑔tan⁡(𝜃 − 𝜙); 𝑣min ≤ 𝑣 ≤ 𝑣max
where 𝜙 = angle of friction = tan−1 ⁡𝜇s
𝜃 = angle of banking

𝑣2
 Bending of cyclist ; tan⁡𝜃 = 𝑟𝑔

R = constant force

Circular motion in vertical plane

A. Condition to complete vertical circle 𝒖 ≥ √𝟓𝒈𝑹
If u = √5𝑔𝑅 then tension at C is equal to 0 and tension at A is equal to 6mg
Velocity at 𝐵: 𝑣𝐵 = √3𝑔𝑅 T is maximum at bottom and minimum at top
Velocity at 𝐶: 𝑣𝑐 = √𝑔𝑅
𝑚2
From 𝐴 to 𝐵: 𝑇 = 𝑚𝑔cos⁡𝜃 + 𝑅
𝑚𝑣 2
From 𝐵 to 𝐶: 𝑇 = − 𝑚𝑔cos⁡𝜃
𝑅

B. Condition for oscillation

𝑢 ≤ √2𝑔𝑅 (in between 𝐴 and 𝐵 )
Velocity can be zero but T is never zero between A & B.
𝑚𝑣 2
Because T is given by T= 𝑚𝑔cos⁡𝜃 + 𝑅
At B (for u = √2𝑔𝑅 ), both becomes zero simultaneously.

C. Condition for leaving path : √2𝑔𝑅 < 𝑢 < √5𝑔𝑅

Particle crosses the point B but does not complete the vertical circle.
Tension will be zero at a point between B and C & the corresponding angle is given
by
𝑢 2 −2𝑔𝑅
cos⁡𝜃 = ; 𝜃 is from vertical line
3𝑔𝑅
Note : After leaving the circle, the particle will follow a parabolic path.

KEY POINTS

 Average angular velocity is a scalar physical quantity whereas instantaneous

angular velocity is a vector physical quantity.
 Small angular displacement d𝜃 is a vector quantity, but large angular
displacement 𝜃 is a scalar quantity.
d𝜃1 + d𝜃2 = d𝜃2 + d𝜃1
But 𝜃1 + 𝜃2 ≠ 𝜃2 + 𝜃1
 Relative Angular Velocity
Relative angular velocity of a particle 'A' w.r.t. other moving particle B is the angular
velocity of the position vector of A w.r.t. B.
This means it is the rate at which position vector of ' A ' w.r.t. B rotates at that
instant

𝑅𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒⁡𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦⁡𝑜𝑓⁡𝐴⁡𝑤. 𝑟. 𝑡.
(𝑉𝐴𝐵 )⊥ 𝐵⁡𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑝𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟⁡𝑡𝑜⁡𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒⁡𝐴𝐵
𝜔𝐴𝐵 = =
𝑟𝐴𝐵 𝑠𝑒𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛⁡𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛⁡𝐴⁡𝑎𝑛𝑑⁡𝐵

𝑉𝐴 sin 𝜃1 + 𝑉𝐵 sin 𝜃2
ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒⁡(𝑉𝐴𝐵 )⊥ = 𝑉𝐴 sin 𝜃1 + 𝑉𝐵 sin 𝜃2 ∴ 𝜔𝐴𝐵 =
𝑟
 Radius of curvature :

𝑣2
𝑅= ⁡𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒⁡𝑣 = 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑒𝑑, 𝑎𝑁 = 𝑛𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑙⁡𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
𝑎𝑁