Help Understanding Circular Motion

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on understanding circular motion problems, particularly in relation to Newton's laws of motion. Participants recommend resources such as the chapter on circular motion from lightandmatter.com and the Physics Forums for further learning. Key concepts include summing forces in the Z-direction and radial direction, which are essential for solving both uniform and non-uniform circular motion problems. The community emphasizes the importance of reliable educational resources like HyperPhysics for foundational understanding.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Familiarity with concepts of uniform and non-uniform circular motion
  • Basic knowledge of force summation in different directions
  • Access to educational resources like HyperPhysics and lightandmatter.com
NEXT STEPS
  • Explore the chapter on circular motion at lightandmatter.com
  • Visit Physics Forums for community support and problem-solving
  • Study the HyperPhysics website for reliable explanations of circular motion concepts
  • Practice problems involving force summation in both Z-direction and radial direction
USEFUL FOR

Students studying physics, particularly those struggling with circular motion problems, as well as educators seeking reliable resources for teaching Newton's laws and circular motion concepts.

sharkshockey
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Hi there,

New to the forums, but have been periodically browsing posts as a guest. Anyways, I'm having trouble understanding and solving circular motion problems, but not finding angular velocities and what not, more so with respect to Newton's laws (forces). Such problems like uniform and non-uniform circular motion.

Is there a website that I could be directed to to learn more about these types of problems or possible advice from one of the members?

I understand how circular motion problems work, but I don't get how to set them up. My professor said something of summing the forces in the Z-direction and in the radial direction. I want to have some basic understanding of what he was saying before seeing him.
 
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How about this chapter on circular motion from a book at lightandmatter.com - free science ebooks:

http://www.lightandmatter.com/html_books/1np/ch09/ch09.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hey, I'm rather new to the forums as well. From what I've seen, almost everyone goes to wikipedia. Try there.
 
sharkshockey said:
Hi there,

New to the forums, but have been periodically browsing posts as a guest. Anyways, I'm having trouble understanding and solving circular motion problems, but not finding angular velocities and what not, more so with respect to Newton's laws (forces). Such problems like uniform and non-uniform circular motion.

Is there a website that I could be directed to to learn more about these types of problems or possible advice from one of the members?

I understand how circular motion problems work, but I don't get how to set them up. My professor said something of summing the forces in the Z-direction and in the radial direction. I want to have some basic understanding of what he was saying before seeing him.

At the elementary level, I would recommend using https://www.physicsforums.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=1665022" .

Zz.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I second ZapperZ's endorsement of the hyperphysics site. It's professional and reliable; for elementary stuff, it's always my first choice as a reference.

But if you're looking for an alternative to your own textbook, I also recommend the "lightandmatter" site that mikelepore gave. Ben Crowell has written an excellent set of physics textbooks which he makes available for free.
 

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