Target: 10 Questions in 10 minutes

An IB Physics data booklet is helpful

1. Which one of the following best describes a 'centripetal' force?

  • A. A force acting against motion that produces circular motion.
  • B. A force acting at right angles to the velocity of a body, that produces circular motion.
  • C. A force caused by circular motion, acting at right angles to the velocity and pushing a body away from the centre of the circle.
  • D. A force caused by circular motion, making the speed of a body change.

2. Which of the following best describes the changes to speed and velocity (if any) as an object moves in orbit, such as a moon around a planet?

Speed Velocity
A
 constant constant
B
 changes constant
C
 constant changes
D
 changes changes

3. A child is riding on a roundabout ride. After 2 seconds, the child has completed half a rotation.

What is the angular velocity of this roundabout?

 carousel - circular motion
  • A. 0 rad s-1
  • B. ¼π rad s-1
  • C. ½π rad s-1
  • D. π rad s-1
  

4. What force keeps an electron in orbit around a nucleus?

  • A. An electric force.
  • B. A gravitational force.
  • C. A centrifugal force.
  • D. Frictional forces.

5-7. The diagram below shows a 4 kg mass being whirled round in a horizontal orbit at the end of a 2m long rope. The velocity of the mass is constant at 10 ms-1.

mass in horizontal orbit

  

5. What is the value of the angular velocity?

  • A. 10 ms-1.
  • B. 20 ms-1
  • C. 10 rad s-1
  • D. 5 rad s-1

6. What is the value of the centripetal acceleration?

  • A. 20 ms-2
  • B. 10 ms-2
  • C. 5 ms-2
  • D. 50 ms-2

7. What is the tension in the rope keeping the mass moving in a circle?

  • A. 200 N
  • B. 20 N
  • C. 100 N
  • D. 50 N

8-10. A fan used to cool a room rotates at a frequency of 10 Hz.

The length of each blade is 0.5 m from the centre of rotation.

 ceiling fan

8. What is the period of the fan?

  • A. 2π s
  • B. π s
  • C. 10 s
  • D. 0.1 s

9. What distance has been travelled, in meters, by the tip of the fan blade in this time period?

  • A. 2
  • B. 0.5
  • C. 2π
  • D. π

10. The fan slows down to a frequency of 1 Hz. What is the centripetal acceleration on the tips of the blades at this frequency?

  • A. 2π2 ms-2
  • B. 2π ms-2
  • C. 4π ms-2
  • D. 4π2 ms-2