5.2 circular motion

• angular velocity is an objects rate of change of angle
• centripetal force is a force that keeps a body moving with a constant speed in a circular path
• a centripetal force is always perpendicular to the velocity of the object
• for objects with the same angular velocity, the linear velocity at instant is directly proportional to the radius
• centripetal acceleration is the acceleration of any object travelling in a circular path at constant speed which always acts towards the centre of the circle
• in a time t equal to one period the object will move through an angle equal to 2pie radians
• the centripetal force required is greater as the acceleration is greater if the radius of the path is smaller
• one period is the time taken for one full rotation
• an object moving in a circle at a constant speed will be accelerating due to the change of direction