A small disc of mass is tied to one end of a light inextensible thread and set to…
PHYSICS · Multi-part · CBSE · Physics · Laws of Motion · Laws of Motion
Problem
A small disc of mass 0.25kg is tied to one end of a light inextensible thread and set to move with constant speed along a horizontal circle of radius 0.80m on a smooth, friction-free table. Answer the following questions about the motion.
(a) Define centripetal force and state its direction with respect to the path of the disc.
(b) Using Newton’s Second Law, explain why the disc must experience a force even though its speed remains constant.
(c) If the speed of the disc is doubled while the mass and radius remain unchanged, by what factor will the required centripetal force change? Show your reasoning in a clear sequence of steps.