Acceleration in circular motion

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of acceleration in circular motion, specifically focusing on the nature and direction of angular acceleration as it relates to changing velocity in circular paths.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the distinction between angular acceleration and centripetal acceleration, questioning the original poster's assertion regarding the presence of angular acceleration in uniform circular motion.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing examination of the definitions and implications of different types of acceleration in circular motion. Some participants provide clarifications regarding the conditions under which angular acceleration is considered, while others emphasize the importance of understanding the context of the motion being discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the assumptions regarding the nature of the motion (e.g., uniform vs. non-uniform circular motion) and the implications of these assumptions on the interpretation of acceleration types. There is also mention of the horizontal plane assumption affecting the direction of angular acceleration.

ashraful
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Homework Statement


In the case of circular motion,the direction of the velocity is changing in every moment.So,there is a angular accelleration here.What is the direction of this accelleration?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

 
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ashraful said:
,the direction of the velocity is changing in every moment
That is not angular acceleration. It's called 'centripetal' acceleration. Angular acceleration is present when angular velocity is changing w.r.t. time, which is zero in case of uniform circular motion.
 
ashraful said:

Homework Statement


In the case of circular motion,the direction of the velocity is changing in every moment.So,there is a angular accelleration here.What is the direction of this accelleration?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


There are three accelerations.
Centripetal acceleration (##a_c##) - towards center.
Linear acceleration(##a##) - tangential to radius vector at an instant.
Angular acceleration(##\alpha##) - The direction is given by right-hand thumb rule. If motion is clockwise then direction is ##-\hat{k}## else ##\hat{k}##.
Note : here i assumed the motion to be horizontal in x-y plane, Direction of angular acceleration will vary if that is not the case.

The direction of angular acceleration does not change at every instant, that of course if particle does not switch between clockwise rotation and anti-clockwise rotation.
 
Last edited:
Buffu said:
There are three accelerations
The question only predicates acceleration implied by the circular motion. There may be other acceleration components, but not necessarily.
At any instant, a particle has one acceleration vector. You may choose to resolve it into a component in the direction of the velocity and a component normal to it. If there is a normal component then there is, instantaneously, a centre of arc. So these two components can be described as tangential and radial components respectively.
I suppose you could think of the tangential acceleration divided by the radius as an angular acceleration, but it doesn't gain anything. It is not a separate acceleration.
Angular acceleration is a more useful concept in the case of something larger, where the mass centre may be accelerating in whatever way, but the body is also rotating at a changing rate.
 
haruspex said:
The question only predicates acceleration implied by the circular motion...
$$\alpha = {d\omega \over dt}$$
So angular acceleration is there in circular motion.

For the rest you are correct. But as OP asked the direction of ##\alpha##, I pointed it out.
 
haruspex said:
The question only predicates acceleration implied by the circular motion.
Buffu said:
angular acceleration is there in circular motion.
Note the word "implied". I.e., that acceleration which is necessarily present, given that motion is circular. Angular acceleration may be present, but it is not implied.
Buffu said:
OP asked the direction of α, I pointed it out.
Yes, that was fine.
 

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