Students investigating uniform circular motion measure the speed of a block moving in…
PHYSICS · Single correct · A Level · Physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics · Further mechanics and thermal physics
Problem
Students investigating uniform circular motion measure the speed v of a block moving in a horizontal circle of constant radius r and calculate its centripetal acceleration ac. They plot ac on the vertical axis and v2 on the horizontal axis and obtain a straight line through the origin. Which of the following physical quantities can be obtained directly from the slope of this line?
(a) the mass of the block
(b) the radius of the circular path
(c) the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface
(d) the period of revolution of the block