Centripetal Force and Force due to gravity?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a lab experiment examining the relationship between centripetal force (Fc) and gravitational force (Fg) in the context of circular motion. The original poster reports that as Fg increases, Fc decreases, and seeks to understand the logical basis for this relationship.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the theoretical relationship between Fc and Fg, questioning how changes in mass affect these forces. There is a discussion about the dependency of Fc on mass and the implications of maintaining constant velocity during the experiment.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants raising questions about the experimental setup and the measurements taken. Some guidance is offered regarding the relationship between mass and the angles involved in the experiment, indicating a productive exploration of the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the importance of the experimental conditions, such as the plane of motion and the method of measurement, which may influence the observed relationship between Fg and Fc. There is an emphasis on the need for clarity regarding how the centripetal force was calculated and whether the radius of the circular motion changed during the experiment.

wooker
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Homework Statement



So I'm doing a lab of examining circular motion and centripetal force. My results came out to be that as Fg increases, Fc decreases. My question is if this relationship between Fg and Fc is logical and why?

The experiment was conducted in a way that a ball was attached to a string and whirled on a horizontal plane at constant velocity. There was also a variable of hanging mass so, increasing mass and increasing Fg with decreasing Fc.

Homework Equations


The Attempt at a Solution

 
Last edited:
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in what manner are you doing the experiment? In which plane?
 
ok, so...

if we use the theoretical approach..

Fc = mv2/r
and if Fg increases and the mass increases too(as you said),...Fc also increases.

But i don't really see how Fg influences Fc, because this is all dependent on mass and not weight.
 
The legend said:
Fc = mv2/r
and if Fg increases and the mass increases too(as you said),...Fc also increases.
That is certainly true if the speed in both cases remains the same.

wooker said:
The experiment was conducted in a way that a ball was attached to a string and whirled on a horizontal plane at constant velocity. There was also a variable of hanging mass so, increasing mass and increasing Fg with decreasing Fc.
Did the heavier mass cause the angle between the string and the vertical to be smaller than the angle between the string and the vertical when you used the lighter mass? Did the radius of the horizontal circle change? How did you do your measuremnts and calculate the centripetal force?
 

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