Centripetal Force Problems -- Objects Swung In Circles
How to Solve Centripetal Force Problems About Objects Swung In Circles
Problems about objects swung in circles are all kind of the same once you've got a few under your belt. This first video outlines that process that all these problems have in common, and gives you some tips for what to look for in the word problems to help you know what to solve for.
Object Swung In Vertical Circle - Tension At Top & Bottom Of Circle
One of the first centripetal force problems that physics profs always deal with is the tension at the top and bottom of the swing when the circle is vertical. The tension is higher at the bottom, where gravity is aligned with the fictitious centrifugal force, and tension is lowest at the top, where gravity is "helping" the object move in a circle.
Max Velocity Of Object Swung In Circle to Break String
In this example, we are given the "break strength" of the string, then asked to calculate the speed which would result in the string breaking.
Centripetal Force Problem - Minimum Velocity Before String Goes Slack
This is the other classic centripetal force "mass on string" problem that every class will cover: calculate the minimum speed of an object being swung in a vertical circle such that the string doesn't go slack.
Centripetal Force - Object Rotating On Frictionless Table With Mass Hanging Through Hole
This problem is easier to show than it is to describe (see video thumbnail to the right). The mass hanging down through the table provides the tension on the string, then you're supposed to calculate the radius of the circle which would result in equilibrium.
Centripetal Force - Calculate Angle of Conical Pendulum
Even if you're whipping a yo-yo over your head as fast as you can, so that it *looks* like you've made a perfectly flat circle, your hand will actually be a little bit higher than the yo-yo. That's so that the tension in the string has a component upwards, fighting gravity. In this problem, we'll calculate the angle of that droop.