Kinematics/uniform circular motion.

In summary, the question asks for the centripetal acceleration of a ball whirled in a horizontal circle before the string breaks and it lands 2.66 m away from its original position. Using the equations T= \sqrt{}2y/g and ac=4*pi2r/T2, the time and acceleration were calculated incorrectly. The correct approach is to first find the speed of the ball in the horizontal direction using projectile motion. Then, using the expression for centripetal acceleration in terms of speed, the correct answer of 86.021432 m/s^2 was obtained.
  • #1
Muneerah
14
0

Homework Statement



A ball on the end of a string is whirled around
in a horizontal circle of radius 0.28 m. The
plane of the circle is 1.44 m above the ground.
The string breaks and the ball lands 2.66 m
away from the point on the ground directly
beneath the ball’s location when the string
breaks.
The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s2 .
Find the centripetal acceleration of the ball
during its circular motion.
Answer in units of m/s2.

Homework Equations



T= [tex]\sqrt{}2y/g[/tex]
ac=4*pi2r/T2

The Attempt at a Solution


First I found time using this equation T= [tex]\sqrt{}2y/g[/tex]
=T= [tex]\sqrt{}2*1.44m/9.8m/s[/tex]= .5421047s
then I plugged my time into the acceleration equation ac=4*pi2r/T2
= 37.61415924 m. My answer is wrong and I would like to know what is it that I did wrong, I tried many ways to do it, but non of the answers I get are right, if you can please calrify. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
The symbol T in the expression for the centripetal acceleration is not meant to be the time it takes the ball to hit the ground. It is the time the ball requires to complete one revolution, i.e. the period. T is what it is regardless of whether the string breaks or not. It is related to the speed v at which the ball goes around before the string breaks.

After the string breaks, you have projectile motion. Answer this question first, "How fast must the ball be moving in the horizontal direction so that it hits the ground 2.66 m away in 0.542 s?" This will give you the speed of the ball v. Knowing v, you can then find the centripetal acceleration. There is an expression that relates the centripetal acceleration to the speed. What is it?
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Ok so basically to find the Velocity I used X/t = V
V= 4.907749077 m/s
centripetal acceleration = V^2/r
= 86.021432 m/s^2 and that is the right answer, thank you so much for helping me.
 

What is kinematics?

Kinematics is a branch of physics that studies the motion of objects without considering the forces that cause the motion.

What is uniform circular motion?

Uniform circular motion is the motion of an object moving in a circle at a constant speed.

What is the difference between linear and circular motion?

The main difference between linear and circular motion is the path that the object follows. In linear motion, the object moves in a straight line, while in circular motion, the object moves in a circular path.

What is the formula for calculating speed in uniform circular motion?

The formula for calculating speed in uniform circular motion is v = 2πr/T, where v is the speed, r is the radius of the circle, and T is the time taken to complete one full revolution.

How does centripetal force relate to uniform circular motion?

Centripetal force is the force that keeps an object moving in a circular path. In uniform circular motion, the centripetal force is always directed towards the center of the circle and is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its speed squared, divided by the radius of the circle.

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