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Circular Motion / Universal Gravitation concept WS (honors)
1)
A car travels around a curve with constant speed.
a. Does the velocity of the car change in this process? Explain.
b. Is the car accelerated? If so what is the direction of that acceleration?
2)
Two cars travel with constant speed around the same curve, car A at twice the speed of car B. Which car
experiences the larger acceleration? How much larger?
3)
A car travels at the same constant speed around two curves, curve 1 having twice the radius of curve 2. For
which of these curves is the car's acceleration larger? How much larger?
4)
A car travels around a flat curve with constant speed. What is the direction of the net force acting upon the
car?
5)
Back to item 4: Is there a maximum speed at which the car will be able to negotiate the curve? If so, what
factors determine this maximum speed? Explain.
6)
If the curve is banked, is it possible for a car to negotiate the curve even when there is no frictional force at all
(i.e. icy road surface)? Explain.
7)
You are riding a Ferris wheel. At which point along the ride is the force exerted by the seat on your butt the
least? Explain.
8)
You are riding a vertical circle ride at an amusement park (upside-down at top; right side-up at bottom).
Assuming no safety devices, is there a minimum speed which must be maintained in order that passengers
not leave the correct path of motion? Explain.
9)
Referring to the ride in #8: Is there a maximum speed which must not be surpassed in order that the
passengers not leave the correct path of motion? Explain.
10) You can swing a bucket of water around in a vertical circle and the water will not come out of the bucket.
What keeps the water in the bucket? Explain.
11) If the bottom of the water bucket fell out when the bucket was located halfway along the downward side of the
circular path, what would be the resulting motion of the water?
12) Two objects are attracting each other gravitationally. If the mass of one object doubles and the mass of the
other object triples, what happens to the gravitational force between them?
13) Two objects, which are 1000 km apart, are attracting each other gravitationally. If they are moved apart an
additional 2000 km, what happens to the gravitational force between them?
14) If you were to travel to the moon, you would cross a certain spot at which the net gravitational force on you
(from the earth and the moon anyway) would be zero. Where would this spot be located; closer to earth,
closer to the moon, or equal distance from both? Explain.