Uniform Circular Motion and Conservation of Angular Momentum

The link below will lead you to a selection of "Applets".  You will explore the applets for:

• Chapter 5:  Circular Motion - Balls on Strings

• Chapter 5:  Frictional Forces and Circular Motion

• Chapter 8:  Conservation of Angular Momentum

Make sure that you take good notes for each of the activities, including drawing good diagrams and obtaining any necessary formula.  Ignore air resistance for all activities.

You need to answer the following questions in detail:

Chapter 5:  Circular Motion - Balls on Strings

1. Is the ball on the string accelerating?  How do you know?  Explain.

2. How is the rate of acceleration of the ball determined?  What formula is required to determine the rate of acceleration of the ball?

3. What force (s) are acting on the ball?  In what direction?

4. What effects the magnitude of the force (s) acting on the ball?  How?

5. What applies the force (s) acting on the ball?

6. How do you determine the force (s) acting on the ball?

7. How do you determine the centripetal (inward acting) and centrifugal (outward acting) forces acting upon the ball?

8. How is "revolution" different than "rotation"?

9. What would happen to the ball if the string were cut?  In what direction would it travel?  what would the shape of it's path be?

10. How do you explain the shapes of the graphs of velocity, acceleration, and force?

11. What is the force that holds planets in orbit?

Chapter 5:  Frictional Forces and Circular Motion

1. When the car is up to speed, is it accelerating?  How do you know?  Explain.

2. How does the angle of the track effect the forces acting on the car?  Which forces are are effected?

3. How does changing the amount of friction effect the forces acting on the car? Which forces are effected?

4. How are the magnitude and direction of the forces acting on the car determined?

5. As the car circles the track, what would a passenger experience?  Why?

6. How do you determine the centripetal (inward acting) and centrifugal (outward acting) forces acting upon the car?

7. What has to happen for the car to go off the track and burst into flames?

Chapter 8:  Conservation of Angular Momentum

1. What is angular momentum?  How is it determined?  How is it measured (units)?

2. What does the purple arrow represent?  Why does its size change?  What effects its length?

3. How does the rotational velocity of the snowman effect its angular momentum?

4. How does the radius of the snowman's arms effect its angular momentum?

5. How does changing the length of the snowman's arms effects its rotational velocity?  Why does this happen?

6. How do you determine the centripetal (inward acting) and centrifugal (outward acting) forces acting upon the snowman?

7. Why does the snowman get sick?

Additional Questions:

1. Will the Earth ever fall into the sun?  Why or why not?

2. Explain the behavior of a gyroscope.

3. Explain the precession of the Earth's rotational axis.

4. The Earth and the Moon are slowly drifting further apart.  Why?

5. Why does a long-period comet have a higher velocity when it is at perihelion?

6. Explain the differences in orbital period for the planets.

7. Why do bikes fall over when they are not moving, but do not fall over when they are moving?

8. Explain how a figure skater can perform a "Spin" that speeds up when she pulls in her arms.

The Applets can be found HERE