MCAT Physical : Rotational, Circular, and Harmonic Motion

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for MCAT Physical

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Example Questions

Example Question #4 : Centripetal Force And Acceleration

Two identical cars, A and B, are traveling on identical surfaces. Car A drives at a constant velocity in a perfectly circular path. Car B drives at a constant velocity along a long, straight path. Which best describes the accelerations, \(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\) and \(\displaystyle \small a_{B}\), of the two cars?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}=0\)\(\displaystyle \small a_{B}=0\)

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\neq0\) and is radially outwards from the center of its path; \(\displaystyle \small a_{B}=0\)

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\neq0\) and is radially inwards towards the center of its path; \(\displaystyle \small a_{B}=0\)

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\neq0\) and is in the same direction as car A's velocity; \(\displaystyle \small \small a_{B}\neq0\) and is in the same direction as car B's velocity

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}=0\)\(\displaystyle \small a_{B}\neq0\) and is in the same direction as car B's velocity

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\neq0\) and is radially inwards towards the center of its path; \(\displaystyle \small a_{B}=0\)

Explanation:

An object moving in constant circular motion must have centripetal acceleration, directed towards the center of its path, in order to maintain its circular motion. So \(\displaystyle \small a_{A}\neq0\) and is towards the center of car A's path. 

An object moving linearly at constant velocity has 0 acceleration, so \(\displaystyle \small a_{B}=0\).

In general, we can think of acceleration as a change in either the magnitude or direction of an object's velocity. Neither of these cars has a change in the magnitude of its velocity, but car A does experience a change in the direction of its velocity, while car B does not.

Example Question #5 : Centripetal Force And Acceleration

What is the approximate centripetal acceleration of a point on the rim of a bicycle wheel with a diameter of \(\displaystyle \small 60cm\) if the wheel is rotating at eight revolutions per second? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 16\frac{m}{s^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 16\pi\frac{m}{s^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 77\pi\frac{m}{s^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 77\frac{m}{s^2}\)

\(\displaystyle 77\pi^2\frac{m}{s^2}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 77\pi^2\frac{m}{s^2}\)

Explanation:

Centripetal acceleration is given by the equation:

\(\displaystyle a_c=\frac{v^2}{r}\)

We are given the angular velocity and the diameter. We can easily solve for the radius from the diameter, and use the angular velocity to find the linear velocity.

Convert the angular velocity to the proper units by changing revolutions to radians.

\(\displaystyle \omega=\frac{8rev}{s}*\frac{2\pi rad}{1rev}=16\pi\frac{rad}{s}\)

Now we can convert the angular velocity to the linear velocity using the radius.

\(\displaystyle v=\omega*r=16\pi\frac{rad}{s}*0.30m=4.8\pi\frac{m}{s}\)

 Use the radius and the linear velocity to calculate the centripetal acceleration from the original equation.

\(\displaystyle a_c=\frac{v^2}{r}=\frac{(4.8\pi\frac{m}{s})^2}{0.30m}\)

\(\displaystyle a_c=\frac{23.04\pi^2\frac{m^2}{s^2}}{0.30m}\)

\(\displaystyle a_c=76.8\pi^2\frac{m}{s^2}\)

Example Question #6 : Gre Subject Test: Physics

What is the centripetal force on a \(\displaystyle \small 10kg\) ball being swung in a vertical loop with a velocity of \(\displaystyle \small 5\frac{m}{s}\) on a \(\displaystyle \small 1m\) string? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 25N\)

\(\displaystyle 100N\)

\(\displaystyle 150N\)

\(\displaystyle 250N\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 250N\)

Explanation:

Centripetal force is given by the equation:

\(\displaystyle F_c = ma_c=m\frac{v^2}{r}\)

The length of the string represents the radius of the circle being formed. Use the given string length as the radius, along with the mass of the ball and the velocity, to calculate the centripetal force.

\(\displaystyle F_c=(10kg)\frac{(5\frac{m}{s})^2}{1m}\)

\(\displaystyle F_c=250N\)

Example Question #6 : Centripetal Force And Acceleration

A 2kg mass is suspended on a rope that wraps around a frictionless pulley. The pulley is attached to the ceiling and has a mass of 0.01kg and a radius of 0.25m. The other end of the rope is attached to a massless suspended platform, upon which 0.5kg weights may be placed. While the system is initially at equilibrium, the rope is later cut above the weight, and the platform subsequently raised by pulling on the rope.

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What is the linear velocity of the pulley the instant the rope to the 2kg mass is cut?

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 5.6\frac{m}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 22.1\frac{m}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 9.8\frac{m}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 2.7\frac{m}{s}\)

\(\displaystyle 11.2\frac{m}{s}\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 22.1\frac{m}{s}\)

Explanation:

Note that we are asked the linear velocity of the pulley, not the angular velocity. With Newton’s second law, we know that F = ma. Additionally, in rotational motion, we know that \(\displaystyle F=\frac{mv^2}{r}\). The force (F) the instant the rope is cut is due to the platform with the 4 weights. Knowing the mass and radius of the pulley, we can solve for the linear velocity:

 \(\displaystyle F=\frac{mv^2}{r}\)

\(\displaystyle v=\sqrt{\frac{Fr}{m}}=\sqrt{\frac{(19.6N)(0.25m)}{0.01kg}}=22.1m/s\)

Example Question #7 : Centripetal Force And Acceleration

A man of mass \(\displaystyle 75kg\) is riding a roller coaster, which has a total mass of \(\displaystyle 1000 kg\). As the ride enters a circular loop, it is traveling at a rate of \(\displaystyle 20 \frac{m}{s}\). The loop has a radius of \(\displaystyle 5m\). If the average frictional force on the coaster is \(\displaystyle 600 N\), how many g's of force does the man experience at the top of the loop?

\(\displaystyle g = 10 \frac{m}{s^2}\)

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle 2.11g\)

\(\displaystyle 5.21g\)

\(\displaystyle 8.90g\)

\(\displaystyle 0g\)

\(\displaystyle 3.65 g\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle 3.65 g\)

Explanation:

To calculate g's, we need to know the centripetal force the rider is experiencing. To calculate centripetal force, we need to know how fast the ride is traveling at the top of the loop. To do this, we will use the equation for conservation of energy:

\(\displaystyle E = U_i + K_i = U_f +K_f + F\)

If we set the height of the top of the loop to 10m, we can say that there is no initial potential energy. Since we are solving for final velocity, let's rearrange this for final kinetic energy:

\(\displaystyle K_f = K_i - U_f - F\)

Plugging in the expressions for each of these terms, we get:

\(\displaystyle \frac{1}{2}mv_f^2 = \frac{1}{2}mv_i^2-mgh_f - F_fd\)

Rearranging for final velocity:

\(\displaystyle v_f = \sqrt{v_i^2-2gh_f-\frac{2F_fd}{m}}\)

We have all of the values except for how far the coaster travels. It travels from the bottom to the top of the loop, which is half the circumference of the circle:

\(\displaystyle d = \pi r = 5\pi\)

Now we can plug in our values and solve:

\(\displaystyle v_f = \sqrt{(20\frac{m}{s})^2-(2\cdot10\frac{m}{s^2}\cdot10m)-\frac{2\cdot600N\cdot5\pi}{1075kg}}\)

\(\displaystyle v_f = \sqrt{400\frac{m^2}{s^2} - 200\frac{m^2}{s^2} - 5.58\pi\frac{m^2}{s^2}} = \sqrt{182.47\frac{m^2}{s^2}} = 13.51 \frac{m}{s}\)

Now that we know how fast the ride is traveling at the top of the loop, we can calculate the centripetal force on the man:

\(\displaystyle F_c = ma_c = m\frac{v^2}{r}\)

\(\displaystyle F_c = (75kg)\frac{(13.51\frac{m}{s})^2}{5m} = 2737 N\)

Now that we know the force in Newtons, we can convert this value to g's.

For this man:

\(\displaystyle 1'g' = mg = (75kg)(10\frac{m}{s^2}) = 750 N\)

Therefore,

\(\displaystyle G = \frac{2737N}{750\frac{N}{g}} = 3.65g\)

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