Uniform circular motion

The horses on a merry-go-round always rotate at the same speed, describing circles.

1. a) What type of motion do they describe?
2. b) Explain in your own words what the period and frequency of this motion are.

Observe the second hand of an analogue clock.

1. a) What is its period, that is, how long does it take to make one complete turn?
2. b) How many turns does it make in one hour?

Two children get on the same merry-go-round: one on an inner horse, $2\ \text{m}$ from the centre, and another on an outer horse, $5\ \text{m}$ from the centre. The diagram is shown in the figure.

1. a) Do they take the same time to complete one turn? What physical quantity do they share?
2. b) Which of the two moves faster? Explain using the distance covered by each in the same amount of time.

A wheel completes $50$ turns in $10\ \text{s}$.

1. a) Calculate its period, in seconds.
2. b) Calculate its frequency, in hertz ($\text{Hz}$).

A Ferris wheel takes $40\ \text{s}$ to complete one full turn.

1. a) How many turns does it complete in $10\ \text{min}$?
2. b) How long does it take to make $6$ turns? Express the result in minutes.

A turntable rotates at $45$ revolutions per minute ($\text{rpm}$).

1. a) Express its frequency in hertz (revolutions per second).
2. b) Calculate its period, rounded to one decimal place.

A horse on a merry-go-round rotates at $4\ \text{m}$ from the centre, and the merry-go-round takes $10\ \text{s}$ to make one turn, as shown in the figure.

Calculate its linear speed using $v = \frac{2 \pi r}{T}$. Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round the result to one decimal place.

A bicycle travels at $6\ \text{m/s}$ and its wheels have a radius of $0.3\ \text{m}$.

1. a) Calculate the rotational period of the wheels, that is, the time they take to complete one turn. Hint: in one turn, a point on the wheel travels $2 \pi r$.
2. b) Calculate the rotational frequency, in $\text{Hz}$.

Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round the results to one decimal place.

The Earth rotates on its axis with a period of $24\ \text{h}$ and its equatorial radius is $6370\ \text{km}$. The diagram is shown in the figure.

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of a point on the equator, in $\text{km/h}$. Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round to the nearest whole number.
2. b) If this speed is so high, why do we not feel it? Give reasons for your answer.

A child on a merry-go-round is $3\ \text{m}$ from the centre and moves at $1.5\ \text{m/s}$.

1. a) Calculate the period of the merry-go-round, rounded to one decimal place. Take $\pi = 3.14$.
2. b) Calculate its angular velocity using $\omega = \frac{v}{r}$ and state its unit ($\text{rad/s}$).

A wheel rotates with an angular velocity of $\omega = 2\ \text{rad/s}$. Consider two points: one at $0.2\ \text{m}$ from the centre and another at $0.4\ \text{m}$. The diagram is shown in the figure.

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of each point using $v = \omega \times r$.
2. b) Explain why both points have the same angular velocity but different linear speeds.

Two friends get on a merry-go-round with a period of $8\ \text{s}$: one at $2\ \text{m}$ from the centre and the other at $5\ \text{m}$.

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of each person. Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round to one decimal place.
2. b) Calculate the ratio of the two speeds and compare it with the ratio of the radii.
3. c) Calculate the angular velocity of the merry-go-round using $\omega = \frac{2 \pi}{T}$ and explain why it is the same for both friends even though their linear speeds are different.

A microwave turntable has a radius of $0.15\ \text{m}$ and takes $10\ \text{s}$ to complete one revolution.

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of a point on the edge, in $\text{m/s}$, and then express it in $\text{cm/s}$. Take $\pi = 3.14$.
2. b) If a plate of food is heated for $2.5\ \text{min}$, how many revolutions does it make?
3. c) Explain the purpose of having the turntable rotate while heating.

A large Ferris wheel with a radius of $60\ \text{m}$ takes $30\ \text{min}$ to complete one full revolution.

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of a capsule, in $\text{m/s}$. Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round to two decimal places.
2. b) A person walking travels at about $1.4\ \text{m/s}$. How many times faster is the person walking than the capsule?
3. c) In light of the result, explain why the passengers on the Ferris wheel hardly notice the movement.

A ceiling fan rotates at a frequency of $4\ \text{Hz}$. Consider a point A halfway along the blade ($0.3\ \text{m}$ from the axle) and a point B at the tip ($0.6\ \text{m}$).

1. a) Calculate the linear speed of each point. Take $\pi = 3.14$ and round to one decimal place.
2. b) For safety reasons, the tip of the blade must not exceed $20\ \text{m/s}$. Calculate the maximum frequency at which the fan can rotate, rounded to one decimal place.
3. c) Justify, using the relationship between $v$, $\omega$ and $r$, why the critical point is the tip of the blade and not the centre.