Moving in Circles

Constant speed, changing velocity

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Moving in a circle means accelerating, even at constant speed.
• Centripetal acceleration points to the centre: $a = v^2/r$.
• Remove the inward force and the object moves off along the tangent.

Steps

1. Is it accelerating?
2. Which way is the acceleration?
3. Released
4. How big is the acceleration?
5. The hammer throw
6. A roundabout