Comprehensive Oxford Mathematics and Physics Online School (COMPOS)

Year 13

Physics Assignment 01
Circular Motion
Vladimir Chernov, Alexander Lvovsky

Due 15th October, 2023

This is the rst Physics assignment from COMPOS Year 13. This assignment is designed to stretch you and
no student is expected to complete all questions on the rst attempt. The problems are hard, but do not let this
discourage you. Give each problem a go, and skip to the next one if you are stuck. The questions in each section
are arranged in the order of increasing complexity, so you should try all sections. Very similar problems will be
discussed in tutorials and webinars, so think of the questions you would like to ask. We hope that eventually you
will be able to solve most of the problems. Good luck!

1 Angular motion kinematics

Consider a point object whose motion is restricted to a circular path or radius 푅 around the origin. Let us denote
the distance travelled along this path at a given moment in time as 푥(푡). Importantly, this distance is measured along
the path, and is not the same as the radius-vector 푟⃗(푡) (see Y12 assignment Physics 01) or the displacement Δ⃗푟(푡). For
example, when the object travels one-half of the circle, the distance is 푥(푡) = 휋푅, not 2푅. In addition, we can introduce
the speed 푣(푡) = 푥® (푡) and the tangential acceleration 푎휏 (푡) = 푥®® (푡).

푥(푡)
Dividing the distance by the radius will give us the angle travelled measured in radians: 휃(푡) = . The rst and
푅
2
second derivatives of the angle are called the angular velocity [rad/s] and angular acceleration [rad/s ], respectively:

푣(푡) 푎 (푡)
휔(푡) = 휃 ® (푡) = and 훼(푡) = 휃 ®® (푡) = 휏 . (1)
푅 푅

푟⃗(푡) 푥(푡)
휃(푡)
푂•

A more detailed introduction to the kinematics1 of angular motion can be found in this Khan Academy section.

1 Kinematics is the branch of mechanics that deals with the motion without studying the reasons causing that motion, i.e. forces.

1
The following table illustrates the similarities between the linear variables and their angular counterparts:

distance velocity acceleration

푑푥 푑푣 푑 2 푥
linear 푥 푣= 푎= =
푑푡 푑푡 푑푡2
푥 푣 푑휃 푎휏 푑휔 푑 2 휃
angular 휃= 휔= = 훼= = =
푟 푟 푑푡 푟 푑푡 푑푡2

The standard SUVAT equations of translational motion can be rewritten in terms of angular variables:

휃푓 = 휃푖 + 휔푡 (2)
휔푓 = 휔푖 + 훼푡 (3)
1
Δ휃 = 휔푖 푡 + 훼푡2 (4)
2

Here are a few quantities that can be used with uniform circular motion — i.e. movement in a circle with constant
speed.

• 푇 — period [seconds], the time for one complete revolution;

• 푓 — frequency [hertz], the number of revolutions per second;

These quantities are related as follows:

1
푇 = (5)
푓
휔 = 2휋푓 (6)
2휋
푇 = (7)
휔
It is a good exercise to derive those relations by yourself, keeping in mind that one full revolution corresponds to an
angle of 2휋. You can also watch this Khan Academy video.

Problem 1 (1 mark). Calculate the angular velocities, frequencies and periods of

a) the hour hand of the clock;

b) the Earth’s rotation on its axis.

Briey discuss the dierence.

Example 1. A wheel is spun to frequency 푓 = 4 Hz, and subsequently slows down with a constant angular acceleration
훼. It comes to a halt after 휏 = 30 s. Find 훼. How many revolutions will the wheel complete before stopping?

Solution: First we will use Eq. (6) to nd the initial angular velocity: 휔푖 = 2휋푓 = 25.12 rad/s. When the wheel comes
to a halt at time 푡, the nal angular velocity 휔푓 = 0 rad/s. Using (2): 0 = 휔푖 + 훼 × 푡 ⇒ 훼 = −0.838 rad/s2 . The angle
travelled is 휃 = 휔푖 푡 + 훼푡2 ∕2 = 376.8 radians and the total number of revolutions is 휃∕(2휋) = 60.

2
Problem 2 (2 marks). It has been estimated that in the last 80 years the day had become Δ푇 = 0.002 s longer (this
is due to ocean tides). Find the angular acceleration of the planet. Assuming this acceleration is constant, after how
many years will there be 25 hours in a day?

Problem 3 (1 mark). Find the radius of a wheel if the linear speed of a point on the edge is 푣1 = 8 m/s, and the linear
speed of a point 푑 = 12 cm away from the edge is 푣2 = 4.8 m/s. The wheel axis is at rest.

Example 2. A wheel of radius 1 m is rolling without slipping at speed 2 m/s. Find the velocities of points 퐴, 퐵, 퐶, 퐷, 퐸.

퐸 푣 = 2 m/s
•

퐷•

퐶•

퐵•

퐴
•

Solution: Let us rst work in the reference frame of the car. In this reference frame, the wheel axis is at rest, and all
points have the same angular velocity. The linear velocities are then as shown in the diagram.

퐸 +2 m/s
•

+1 m/s
퐷•

0 m/s
•퐶

-1 m/s
•퐵

-2 m/s 퐴
•

To nd the velocities in the reference frame of the earth, we must perform vector addition of the velocities in the
reference frame of the car and the velocity of that reference frame with respect to that of the earth (2 m/s to the right).
The result is as shown.

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 퐸 +4 m/s
•

+3 m/s
퐷•

+2 m/s
퐶•

+1 m/s
퐵•

퐴
•
0 m/s

Problem 4 (3 marks). A bicycle wheel is rolling along the road without slipping with speed 푣. Find the velocity
(magnitude and direction) of points 퐴, 퐵, 퐶, 퐷, 퐸 relative to the ground for an arbitrary angle 훼 ∈ [0, 휋∕2].

퐵
•
퐷•

푣
퐶•
휋∕2 훼

•퐸
퐴
•

2 Centripetal Acceleration

Even when the circular motion is uniform, the velocity vector of each point is not constant, because its direction is
changing. The acceleration associated with this change is called normal or centripetal acceleration 푎⃗푛 (or 푎⃗푐 ) and it is
directed perpendicular to the motion of the object.

Let us calculate the centripetal acceleration for a point body moving at constant speed 푣 around a circular path of
radius 푟. Suppose it travels from 퐴 to 퐵 over a short time interval Δ푡, undergoing a small angular displacement Δ휃.
The diagrams show how the velocity vector changes. From the second diagram, we nd the magnitude of the change:

4
 푣⃗2

푣⃗1

Δ푣⃗ = 푣⃗2 − 푣⃗1

퐵
• 푣⃗2 푣⃗1
푂• Δ휃
•퐴
Δ휃

Δ휃
Δ푣 = 푣⃗2 − 푣⃗1  = 2푣 sin .
2
Δ휃 Δ휃
We know that for small angles sin ≈ , so considering a very short time interval where Δ푡 → 0,
2 2
Δ휃
Δ푣 = 2푣 ≈ 푣Δ휃.
2
Considering
푣
Δ휃 = 휔Δ푡 = Δ푡,
푟
we can nd the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration:

Δ푣 푣2
푎푐 = = .
Δ푡 푟
This can also be written as
푎푐 = 휔2 푟. (8)
As we see from the diagram, this acceleration is directed towards the centre of the circle. It is perpendicular to the
velocity vector and hence it changes its direction, but not the magnitude.

In addition to the centripetal acceleration, we may have tangential acceleration 푎⃗휏 which you are already familiar with.
It equals the rate of change of the speed, i.e. is nonzero when the circular motion is not uniform (i.e. when the angular
velocity changes). It is directed along the motion of the object, tangential to the circle.

The total acceleration is the vector sum of the two:

푎⃗ = 푎⃗휏 + 푎⃗푛 .

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Example 3. A wheel of radius 푅 = 1 m is uniformly accelerating. A point at its rim travelled 푠 = 50 m in the rst
푡1 = 10 s starting from rest. What is the:

a) centripetal acceleration;
b) total acceleration

at 푡 = 5 s?

Solution: The “uniform acceleration" of the wheel mentioned in the problem must be referring to the increase of angular
푎휏 푡21
velocity, which translates to tangential acceleration. Using the SUVAT equation 푠 = (the wheel is initially at rest,
2
2푠
we nd 푎휏 = = 1 m/s2 .
푡21

푣2
When 푡 = 5 s, the speed is 푣 = 푎휏 푡 = 5 m/s, hence the centripetal acceleration is 푎푐 = = 25 m/s2 ;
푅
t
The total acceleration is 푎 = 푎2푐 + 푎2휏 ≈ 25.02 m/s2 .

Problem 5 (2 marks). A car drives at a constant speed 푣 down a spiral driveway (eg. at a multi-level car park) of
radius 푅. The road is inclined at angle 훼 to the horizontal. What is the magnitude and direction of its acceleration?

3 Dynamics: uniform circular motion

Since there is a centripetal acceleration, according to Newton’s Second law, there must be a force that causes this
acceleration. This is the centripetal force. It is important to understand that this term refers not to a certain physical
nature of interaction, but to a type of motion it causes. For example, for a satellite orbiting the earth, the centripetal
force is due to gravity, and for a turning car it is due to friction. Please watch this Khan Academy video on how to
identify the centripetal force in dierent scenarios.

푚푣2
퐹푐 = = 푚휔2 푟 (9)
푟

Example 4. One end of a light spring is attached to nail 푂, and the other is attached to a ball 퐵 of mass 푚. The ball
performs circular motion with speed 푣 around the nail with no friction against the table. Find the radius of the circular
path. The unstretched length of the spring is 푙0 . It is known that, when mass 퐵 is attached to the spring hung vertically,
the length of the spring doubles.

6
Solution: When the mass is hung vertically the spring extends by 푙0 , which lets us calculate the spring constant 푘:

푚푔
푚푔 = 푘푙0 ⇒ 푘 = .
푙0

When the mass is rotating around the nail the spring provides the centripetal force.

푚푣2
= 푘푥, where 푥 = 푙 − 푙0 .
푙

푚푣2 푚푔
= (푙 − 푙0 ).
푙 푙0

This can be rearranged:

푔푙2 − 푔푙푙0 − 푣2 푙0 = 0.

This is a quadratic equation with 푙 unknown, whose roots are

v
푙 푙02 푣 2 푙0
푙= 0 ± +
2 4 푔

The answer with a minus does not make sense as the spring length cannot be negative, so
v
푙 푙02 푣 2 푙0
Answer: 푙 = 0 + + .
2 4 푔

Problem 6 (4 marks). Two small masses 푚1 and 푚2 can smoothly slide along a horizontal bar. The masses are
connected by a light inextensible string of length 푙. The bar is set into rotation with angular speed 휔.

a) At what distances from the axis will the masses be in equilibrium?

b) What is the tension in the string?
c) What is the kinetic energy of the masses?
d) Is the equilibrium stable?

휔
푚1 푚2
푙

7
Problem 7 (2 marks).

훼
퐿

A mass on a light inextensible string of length 퐿 is performing circular motion in a horizontal plane. Find the frequency
of the motion if the string makes an angle 훼 with the vertical.

Problem 8 (3 marks). A plumb line of length 퐿 = 12 cm is attached to a horizontal disk. When the disk rotates around
the vertical axis, the string makes an angle 45° to the vertical. The radius of the disk is 푑 = 16 cm. Find the angular
velocity of the disk.

You have likely heard the term “centrifugal force”, and even more likely experienced it: for example, when riding in
a car along a curved path, we feel being pushed in the outward direction. Let us try and understand the nature of thus
sensation.

According to Newton’s rst law, an object not subject to any forces will move with a constant velocity. However, this
law applies only in inertial reference frames. But what if our reference frame is not inertial? In this case, a free object
will accelerate in the direction opposite to the reference frame’s acceleration. If the car experiences normal acceleration
푎⃗푐 towards the centre, the object’s acceleration in the car frame will be −푎⃗푐 , i.e. away from the centre.

This acceleration is not caused by any force. However, in order to uphold Newton’s second law even in a non-inertial
frame, it is sometimes convenient to think of this acceleration to be caused by a ctitious force of magnitude −푚푎⃗휏
away from the centre. This is exactly what we call the centrifugal force2 .

Coming back to the example of us sitting in the car, the only force that we truly experience is the centripetal force that
the car exerts on us, and this is what makes the passengers move in a circle and accelerate normally. We do sense
2 Please refrain from using the word centrifugal in any school examination. The examiners will most likely think that you have confused it with

centripetal and mark you down.

8
this force, but it appears inconsistent with our observation that we are at rest in the reference frame of the car. The
way our mind resolves this contradiction is by telling us that there must be another force — the centrifugal force —
counteracting the centripetal force.

Again: the centrifugal force does not exist; it is a sensory illusion and a mathematical abstraction caused by the reference
frame being non-inertial. However, this abstraction is convenient in some cases. To see this, you can try re-doing
Problems 7 and 8 in the rotating frame. Another example is below.

Problem 9 (2 marks). An air conditioned train from London to Oxford is travelling on a horizontal track at 푣 = 30
m/s and turning left around a bend of radius 푅 = 1000 m. Inside the train some Physics students are experimenting
with DIY accelerometers. One student has tied a light helium balloon to the oor, and the other has tied a plumb line
to the ceiling. Find the direction in which the balloon and plumb line will be displaced and the angle which each string
makes with the vertical.

Example 5. What is the maximum speed at which a motorcyclist can travel around a bend of radius 푅 = 90 m on a
horizontal road, if the coecient of friction between the tyres and the road is 휇 = 0.4? What is the angle between the
motorcycle and the road?

Solution: Firstly, it is important to understand that the only force acting perpendicular to the motion of the rider is
friction between the tyres and the road. If friction was not present, the motorcycle would travel in a straight line. So
the centripetal force is friction.

The vertical forces must be balanced, so 푚푔 = 푁, where 푁 is the normal reaction force. The maximum value of the
friction force is 퐹f r = 휇푁 = 휇푚푔, so
푚푣2
≤ 휇푚푔.
푅
√
푣 ≤ 휇푔푅 ≈ 18.8 m/s.
Note that the maximum speed does not depend on the mass of the motorcycle or rider.

The centripetal acceleration of the rider in the case of the maximum speed is

푣2 휇푔푅
푎푐 = = = 휇푔.
푅 푅

⃗ + 퐹⃗f r
푁 ⃗
푁

푎푐 = 휇푔

퐹⃗f r
휃 †
푚푔

To nd the angle between the motorcycle and the road, we use the intuition that the resultant of the forces exerted upon
the motorcycle by the road —- normal and friction must be parallel to — the plane of the wheel (showing rigorously why

9
 푁
this is the correct condition is beyond our syllabus). In other words, = tan 휃 ⇒ 휃 = arctan(1∕휇) = arctan 2.5 ≈
퐹f r
68.2°.

Problem 10 (PAT 2020, 4 marks). As indicated in the gure, a motor bike of total mass 푚 (푚 is the mass of bike plus
rider) is ridden along a horizontal trajectory of radius 푅 on the inside of a cylindrical cage. See video.

The bike and the rider are inclined at an angle 훼 to the wall. The angles 훼 that the bike can make with respect to the
walls of the cage are limited by its handle bars to a certain minimum 훼min > 0. The tyres of the bike have a very high
co-ecient of friction with the cage so that the tyres can only roll but not slip along the cage.

(a) Show in a diagram the forces acting on the bike if it is to maintain a horizontal trajectory as shown in the gure.

(b) At what minimum speed 푣푚푖푛 must the bike travel if it is not to fall down?

(c) Given that 훼min = 45 °, 푅 = 6 m, 푔 = 10 m/s2 , 푚 = 200 kg, nd a numerical value for 푣푚푖푛 .

4 Dynamics: non-uniform circular motion

In this section, we consider settings in which both centripetal and tangential acceleration is present. This section of
this assignment has the most challenging problems. In most problems you will need to use Newton’s 2nd Law and the
conservation of energy.

10
Example 6. One end of a string is tied to a nail, and the other to a small ball. The ball is held so that the string is
horizontal and released. At which point(s) of the trajectory will the acceleration of the ball be: a) exactly upwards, b)
exactly downwards; c) exactly horizontal?

Solution:

퐴 • 퐸

푚푔 휃 푚푔
푇 푇
퐵 푇 퐷

푚푔 푚푔

푚푔

The only forces acting on the ball are gravity 푚푔 and tension 푇 of the string. When the ball is rst released in position
퐴, the tension is zero and the only force is 푚푔, so the ball will accelerate directly downwards. The similar situation is
in position 퐸.

In position 퐶 both forces are vertical, so only the centripetal acceleration is present, directed upwards.

Let us now nd the angle 휃 corresponding to the positions 퐵 and 퐷 where the acceleration is exacltly horizontal. We
start by nding 푇 . To this end, we resolve the forces along the string and apply Newton’s 2nd Law, keeping in mind
that the acceleration along the string is centripetal:

푚푣2
= 푇 − 푚푔 cos 휃 (10)
푟
To nd the velocity we will use the conservation of energy:

푚푣2
푚푔ℎ = ,
2
where ℎ = 푟 cos 휃 is the height dierence between points 퐴 and 퐵. From the above equation, we have 푣2 = 2푔푟 cos 휃.
Substituting this into Eq. (10), we nd
푇 = 3푚푔 cos 휃.
But on the other hand, in order for the acceleration to be horizontal, we need the vertical components of 푇 and 푚푔 be
equal and opposite, i.e.
푇 cos 휃 = 푚푔.
Comparing the last two equations, we nd
1
cos2 휃 = .
3

u
1
Answer: 휃 = arccos .
3

11
Example 7. A small toy car is rolling without friction along a curved track. What is the minimum height 퐻 so that
the car passes the loop without losing contact with the track?

푅
퐻

Solution: Please watch this video solution by Matt Anderson.

Problem 11 (3 marks). A liana can withstand the tension from a maximum of 2 identical Tarzans hung stationary
(see video). Can a single Tarzan swing on this liana up to a 45°angle to the vertical?

Example 8. A block is sliding without friction along a table. What is the minimum speed so that the block, once
reached the curved part of the surface, immediately follows a parabolic trajectory?

푣2
Solution: As soon as the block reaches the curved path, to stay on the path it has to accelerate downwards at 푎푐 = .
푟
Writing Newton’s 2nd law for the vertical forces, we have

푚푣2
= 푚푔 − 푁,
푟

where 푁 is the normal reaction force. If the trajectory is parabolic, it means that the block has lost contact with the
surface and it is in free fall. Therefore 푁 = 0.

푚푣2 √
= 푚푔 − 0 ⇒ 푣 = 푔푟
푟

12
Problem 12 (5 marks). Find the minimum length of the slope (not including the curved bit) needed for the skier to
start moving along a parabola as soon as he reaches the curved part of the slope. The coecient of friction between
the skier and the snow is 휇. Assume 휇 < tan 훼.

Example 9. An aerosled (see video) is performing a vertical loop the loop at a constant speed 푣. The coecient of
friction with the snow is 휇. Describe how the friction force changes depending on the position of the sled. Sketch a
graph of the friction force vs the position of the sled (expressed as the angle 휃 to the vertical). Find the work done by
the force of friction in a single rotation.

Solution: We will start by drawing a free-body diagram with the sled in an arbitrary position 휃. The four forces acting
on the sled are shown.

퐹prop

푁
휃
휇푁

푚푔

Resolving forces normal to the direction of motion:

푚푎푐 = 푁 − 푚푔 cos 휃.

Resolving the forces along the motion of the sled:

푚푎휏 = 퐹prop − 휇푁 − 푚푔 sin 휃.

푚푣2 푚푣2
Using 푎푐 = and 푎휏 = 0, we nd that the force of friction is 퐹f r = 휇푁 = 휇 + 휇푚푔 cos 휃.
푅 푅

푚푣2
It is already clear from this expression that the average friction force is 휇 , and this can be used to nd the work
푅

13
done. However, we will go a step further to nd the work done by a variable force using integration.

퐹푓 푟

푚푣2
휇 + 휇푚푔
푅

푚푣2
휇
푅

푚푣2
휇 − 휇푚푔
푅
휃

Suppose the sled moves a small distance Δ푙 along the track. The work done will be Δ푊 = 퐹푓 푟 Δ푙, where Δ푙 can be
expressed as 푅Δ휃, so
0 1
푚푣2
Δ푊 = 휇 + 휇푚푔 cos 휃 푅Δ휃.
푅

The work done in a single rotation is the integral

0 1
2휋 푚푣2
푊 = ∫ 퐹f r 푑푙 = ∫0 휇 + 휇푚푔 cos 휃 푅푑휃 = 2휋휇푚푣2 .
푅

Problem 13 (3 marks). A small trolley of mass 푚 is rolling without friction along a curved track from the minimum
necessary height to complete the loop. What is the contact force 퐹 between the trolley and the track at point 퐴? (your
answer should be in terms of 푚, 푔 and 휃)

휃 •퐴

14
Problem 14∗ (6 marks). A small mass is at rest on the top of a smooth sphere of radius 푅. The sphere is xed to the
horizontal oor at point 퐹 . A small perturbation causes the mass to start sliding. At what height 퐻 will the mass lose
contact with the sphere? Where will it hit the oor (nd the distance 퐿)? Assuming a perfectly elastic collision with
the oor, how high will it jump after the rst bounce (nd ℎ)?

퐻
ℎ
푅
퐹
•

Problem 15∗ (5 marks). A thin lead ring of radius 푅 = 40 cm is rotating in the horizontal plane. What is the
maximum angular velocity so that the ring does not break. Density of lead is 휌 = 11300 kg/m3 . Tensile strength of
lead is 휎푚푎푥 = 1.5 × 106 Pa.

15