17 Motion in a circle

AQA Physics Answers to practice questions

Question Answer Marks Guidance
1 (a) Each spring holds its brake pad retainer on 1 max 3 marks for (a)
the shaft at low speed.
If the rotation speed is increased, the brake 1
pad retainer moves away from the shaft and
compresses the spring, which acts against
the outward movement of the retainer.
If the rotation speed is fast enough, the 1
spring is unable to prevent the brake pad
coming into contact with the collar.
Friction between the brake pad and the 1
collar prevents the shaft rotating any faster.
1 (b) For no braking, the centripetal force 1 When the centripetal force
< 250 N. exceeds 250 N the spring extends
outwards and, as the
2
∴ mω0 r = 250 N at the maximum angular 1 gap is small, braking occurs.
2
speed ω, 0.30 ω0 × 0.060 = 250

2 250 4 2 –2
ω0 = = 1.39 × 10 rad s 1
0.30  0.060
–1
ω0 = 118 rad s
1
0
Maximum frequency of rotation =
2π
= 19 Hz
1 (c) If the springs became weaker, the tension in the 1 max 2 marks for (c)
springs at which the brake pads touched the
collar would be less...
...so braking would occur at a lower rotation 1
frequency.
The lifeboat would descent at a lower speed, or 1
more friction occurs

2 (a) Relevant points include: 3 Alternatively, this can be argued

• Speed is the magnitude of velocity (or speed as follows:
is a scalar but acceleration (or velocity) is a • Speed is the magnitude of
vector). velocity (or speed is a scalar but
• In circular motion at constant speed the acceleration [or velocity] is a
direction of motion changes continuously. vector).
• Therefore the velocity is changing. • Force (or acceleration) acts
• Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity. towards the centre of the circle.
• Force (or acceleration) is always
perpendicular to the velocity (or
has no component in the direction
of the velocity).
• So the force changes the
direction of the velocity but not its
magnitude.

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 17 Motion in a circle
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
2 (b) 78 1 The frequency f is the number of
Angular speed ω = 2πf = 2π × revolutions per second, and the
60
–1 angular speed is found by
= 8.17 rad s
multiplying this by 2π.
Maximum frictional force F = centripetal force 1 It is possible (although more
tedious) to calculate the answer
2
∴F = mω r gives 0.50 = 0.10 × 8.17 × r
2 1 mv 2

from which maximum distance r using F = , provided you

−2
r
= 7.5 × 10 m 2 πr
remember that , and that the
T
60
period T is s.
78
If the distance from the axis were
−2
greater than 7.5 × 10 m, the
centripetal force required to hold
the mass on the table would
increase; the maximum frictional
force of 0.50 N would no longer
prevent the mass from being
thrown off.
3 (a) 2 πr 60 1 Alternatively:
Use of , where T = s Angular speed = ω = 2πf
T 45
2 πr 2π  0.125 45 –1
gives v = = 1 = 2π× = 4.71 rad s
T 1.33 60
–1 Linear speed v = ωr
= 0.59 m s 1 –1
= 4.71 × 0.125 = 0.59 m s
3 (b) (i) Radial arrow drawn from D pointing towards the 1 When the disc rotates at constant
centre of the disc. speed, the only horizontal force
acting on the dust particle is the
centripetal force. This acts
towards the centre of the circle.
3 (b) (ii) Centripetal acceleration at position D 1 If you had calculated the angular
v 2
0.592
–2
speed ω in part (a), you might
= 2
= = 2.8 m s 1 prefer to calculate the centripetal
r 0.125 2
acceleration using a = ω r.
3 (c) Relevant points: 3 When a body rotates at a
• A smaller centripetal force is required for constant rate, the angular speed
particles that are closer to the centre . . . is constant for the whole of the
• because, when the rate of rotation is constant, body, but the linear speed of a
2
force ∝ radius r (F = mω r and ω is constant). particle in (or on) the body
• Friction (or electrostatic attraction) is sufficient depends on its radius from the
to hold the dust particles that are closer to the axis of rotation.
centre but not those further away. The argument supporting the
answer is less clear if you could
mv 2
use F = because both v
r
and r change with radius.
However, you can link this
approach to ω, as follows:
mv 2 m(ωr ) 2
F= =
r r
2
= mω r
Hence, for a given mass, F ∝ r
when ω is constant.

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www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
 17 Motion in a circle
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
4 (a) 9000 1 9000 revolutions per minute is the
Angular speed ω = 2πf = 2 × same as 150 revolutions per
60
second. This is the frequency of
= 2π × 150
2
= 9.42 × 10 rad s
–1 1 rotation.
4 (b) (i) The centripetal force on the effective mass is 1 The plastic line pulls inwards on
applied by the tension in the plastic line. the mass all the time it is rotating.
2
4 (b) (ii) Centripetal force F = mω r 1 This calculation needs a little
–3 2 2
= 0.80 × 10 × (9.42 × 10 ) × 0.125 1 care. In the question the mass is
= 89 N 1 given in g, not kg, and you have
to remember to square ω.
4 (c) Use of FΔt = Δ(mv) 1 Part (c) is an interesting twist,
–3 –3
gives F × 0.68 × 10 = 1.2 × 10 × 15 1 which revises the work on
therefore average force on pebble F = 25 N 1 impulse. The pebble was
stationary before being struck by
the line, so its change in
momentum is (mass) × (velocity
acquired).
5 (a) (i) The velocity of the engine changes because the 1 See the more complete answer
direction of movement changes as it goes round given (and expected) in Question
the track. 1 above. The mark allocation
Acceleration is the rate of change of velocity (or 1 shown alongside each part is a
velocity is a vector). guide to how much you are
expected to write. Here it is 2
marks; in Question 1 it is 3
marks.
5 (a) (ii) Arrow drawn towards the centre of the circle of 1 A centripetal force is always
the diagram directed towards the centre of the
circular path.
5 (b) Centripetal force 1 All the necessary data is set out
mv 2 0.14 0.172 –3
for you to substitute directly into
F= = = 5.1 × 10 N 1 the centripetal force equation.
r 0.80
Remember to square v.
5 (c) (i) Centripetal force acts on the outer wheel. More insight is required in part
(c). The flange of the outer wheel
pushes outwards against the
curved outer rail as the engine
attempts to carry on moving in
a straight line. The outer rail
therefore pushes inwards on this
same flange, providing the
centripetal force.
5 (c) (ii) Relevant points include: 4 Some of the marks would be
force F available if you were to discuss
• Stress is only the vertical forces on the
area A
• F depends on the mass of the engine, the wheel (due to the weight of the
engine), but full marks could only
speed of the engine, and the radius of the track.
• A is the area of contact between the wheel be obtained by discussing the
and the rail. effect of the centripetal force.
• A discussion of how changing a physical This is because the question
requires you to give an answer
quantity would affect the stress, for example
‘for the toy engine going round a
increasing the mass of the engine would
curved track’.
increase the stress, or an increase in the depth
of the flange would decrease the stress.

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www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
 17 Motion in a circle
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
6 (a) (i) mv 2 1 When substituting values, m must
Use of tension F = gives be in kg and r in m. Remember to
r 2
take the square root of v before
30  10 –3  v 2 writing down your answer.
0.35 =
0.45
−1
∴ speed of mass v = 2.29 m s 1
6 (a) (ii) 2πr 2π  0.45 1 Alternatively: angular speed
Period = =
v 2.29 v 2.29 –1
1 ω= = = 5.09 rad s
= 1.2 s r 0.45
2π 2π
period = = = 1.2 s
ω 5.09
6 (b) (i) Arrows on diagram drawn and The mark would not be given for
labelled as follows: an arrow labelled ‘gravity’, and
• Weight (or mg), arrow vertically downwards 1 the arrow must be drawn
from centre of mass of M. carefully, vertically downwards.

• Tension, arrow along thread towards centre of 1 Labelling the arrow ‘centripetal
circle. force’ would not be acceptable,
and the arrow must be on the
thread, not parallel to it.

• Air resistance (or drag), arrow along a 1 You could easily overlook this
tangent to the circle in the opposite direction to force, but it is bound to be
the rotation arrow. present. The mark would not be
awarded if you were to label it
‘friction’.
6 (b) (ii) The tension is least when M is at the top of the 1 In this case the centripetal force
circle and greatest when M is at the bottom. is the resultant force towards the
At the top: centre of the circle. At the top,
centripetal force = weight + tension 1 both the weight and the tension
mv 2 act in the same direction
∴ tension = + mg (vertically downwards). At the
r
bottom, the weight acts
At the bottom:
downwards whilst the tension
centripetal force = tension – weight
1 acts upwards, so these forces act
mv 2 in opposite directions.
∴ tension = + mg
r
7 (a) Momentum of electron = mv 1
−31 7
= 9.1 × 10 × 4.2 × 10
−23
= 3.8 × 10 N s (or kg m s−1)
7 (b) Magnitude of force on electron 1 In examples such as this, where
mv 2 the object moving in a curved
= centripetal force F = path does not move repeatedly
r
  2
around a circle, it is generally
9.1 10 31  4.2 107 –14 1 best to use the centripetal force
= = 3.6 × 10
0.045 mv 2
equation in the form F = ,
r
2
rather than F = mω r.
7 (c) Arrow drawn from P towards the centre O of the 1 This is a further test of the fact
circular path. that the centripetal force acting
on an object is directed to the
centre of the circle in which it is
moving.

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www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements
 17 Motion in a circle
AQA Physics Answers to practice questions
Question Answer Marks Guidance
8 (a) Relevant points: 3 The mass inside the
• A force is needed (or there is an acceleration) accelerometer behaves in much
towards the centre of the bend. the same way as a passenger in
• The movement of the pointer is to the left (or a car going round a bend. Within
away from the centre). the accelerometer, the mass
• The right hand spring must stretch to provide moves outwards (although it is
this force. actually attempting to carry on in
a straight line) until the pull of the
right hand spring is sufficient to
provide the required centripetal
force.
8 (b) (i) v2 The whole car and its contents
Centripetal acceleration a = 1 experience this same
r
acceleration as it travels round
–1 45 1000 –1 the bend. You are required to
v = 45 km h = = 12.5 m s −1
3600 convert km h (which is the usual
12.52 –2
unit for the speed of a car) into
∴a= = 6.5 m s 1 ms .
–1
24
Force on mass = ma = 0.35 × 6.5 1 The force on the mass is the
= 2.28 N centripetal force, but a has
2.28 already been calculated in (b)(i).
Movement of pointer = × 27 1 This force will move the pointer
0.75
= 82 mm 2.28
times further than the
0.75
calibrating force of 0.75 N.

© Oxford University Press 2015 This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements