Find the acceleration in circular motion

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around understanding acceleration in circular motion, particularly focusing on tangential and radial components. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the direction of net acceleration and the calculations involved in deriving it from velocity components.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to derive tangential acceleration from the x component of velocity using trigonometric functions, but expresses confusion over the differentiation process and the implications of the derivative of sin(theta). Participants question how to express theta as a function of time given limited information, and whether the x component of velocity influences the y component in circular motion.

Discussion Status

Participants are actively exploring the relationships between components of motion and the necessary information to solve the problem. Some guidance has been offered regarding the need to express theta as a function of time, but there is no clear consensus on how to proceed given the constraints of the problem.

Contextual Notes

There are indications of limited values provided to the original poster, which raises questions about the sufficiency of information for determining angular displacement and its relation to the components of velocity.

theerenwithther
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Homework Statement
The object (ignore the size) is placed at (0, 1) when t = 0 and moves
along unit circle, centered at (0,0), in xy plane (0 < t < 1/√3
). The x component of velocity is +√3 which is constant. Evaluate the following quantities when t = 1 /2√3. (a) Direction of Acceleration (ex. x direction) (b) Tangential Acceleration (c) Radial Acceleration (d)
Magnitude of Acceleration
Relevant Equations
N/A
Hello ,
First of all , I am still new to circular motion or any motions in general and still relatively learning so please bear with me.

1 . The direction of the tangential acceleration is parallel to the net velocity and that of radial of perpendicular to the velocity. So the direction of net acceleration would be inwards the circle (?) but it seems too vague. There may be other ways to phrase or even calculate it.

2/3/4 . In the next part , my approach was to find velocity from its x component by using v(x) = vsin(theta) and differentiating that v to eventually get the tangential acceleration and calculate the remaining two from it. But the concept seems thin in logical vision and in actual calculation , there is a derivative of sin(theta) respect to t in all values , which makes my final answers very unlikely. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I would be even more delighted if you take time to thoroughly explain the whole process.

Thank you in advance,
 

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theerenwithther said:
The direction of the tangential acceleration is parallel to the net velocity and that of radial of perpendicular to the velocity. So the direction of net acceleration would be inwards the circle (?) but it seems too vague. There may be other ways to phrase or even calculate it.
Yes, calculate it. What will you need to find first?
theerenwithther said:
there is a derivative of sin(theta) respect to t
So you will need to find what theta is as a function of t.
 
hello ! thank you for the reply ! but how can I find the theta as function of t with the limited values that I am given ??
 
theerenwithther said:
hello ! thank you for the reply ! but how can I find the theta as function of t with the limited values that I am given ??
Where will it be after time t?
 
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haruspex said:
Where will it be after time t?
do I even have enough information to find it ??
 
theerenwithther said:
do I even have enough information to find it ??
”The x component of velocity is +√3 which is constant.”
 
theerenwithther said:
do I even have enough information to find it ??
Does the x component determine the y component in circular motion?
 

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