IGCSE/GCSE/O & A Level/IB/University Student Forum

Qualification => Subject Doubts => IGCSE/ GCSE => Sciences => Topic started by: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:21:34 am

Title: IGCSE Physics
Post by: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:21:34 am

i am quoting this from the IGCSE Physics Study Guide
" When the force is perpendicular to motion, the object follows a circular path."

Can someone explain me how and why????

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: Ghost Of Highbury on October 31, 2009, 08:26:24 am

refer to the diagram

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: wassup on October 31, 2009, 08:26:49 am

Quote from: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:21:34 am

i am quoting this from the IGCSE Physics Study Guide
" When the force is perpendicular to motion, the object follows a circular path."

Can someone explain me how and why????

http://library.thinkquest.org/2745/data/centrip1.htm

try this, hope u get it.

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:32:31 am

dude i already know all this...
wat i am asking now is for example....
when the force acting on the planets in the solar system, is directed towards the sun rite???
then why does it not move towards it rather than the real situation where it moves around it!!!!!!
do u now get what i mean by my question???????

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: Ghost Of Highbury on October 31, 2009, 08:43:42 am

Quote from: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:32:31 am

dude i already know all this...
wat i am asking now is for example....
when the force acting on the planets in the solar system, is directed towards the sun rite???
then why does it not move towards it rather than the real situation where it moves around it!!!!!!
do u now get what i mean by my question???????

Mutual gravitational forces accelerate the earth as it exerts comparitively less gravitational force on the SUN. here, the large gravitational force of the sun allows the earth to take a circular path, unlike its conventional straight path. The planets relative to themselves are acyally following a straight line.

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: Ghost Of Highbury on October 31, 2009, 08:46:23 am

its simple, if the gravity of the sun was not acting on the earth, the earth wud have travelled in a straight path, but due to the perpendicular force of the sun acting on it it takes a circular path.

U are already aware of the theory, just apply it here.

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:55:40 am

that makes it a bit more clearer...
but some more examples would be a great help!!!

Title: Re: IGCSE Physics
Post by: Ghost Of Highbury on October 31, 2009, 09:01:36 am

Quote from: @d!_†oX!© on October 31, 2009, 08:55:40 am

that makes it a bit more clearer...
but some more examples would be a great help!!!

 a stone whirling round your head in a circle (tied to the string) - the best example

--> newton's first law says it will continue to move in a straight line unless a force is applied. Here, the force is applied by ur hand pulling in the stone. Thus they are perpendicular, and it travels in a circular path

Strange, as it may seem, the stone is moving at a steady speed but is still accelerating. This is because its direction is changing all the time (= to the tangent at that point)

hope that made it clear.