Abstract

Anyone teaching physics is aware of the conceptual challenges encountered by students in the study of circular motion. Students often forget that even uniform circular motion involves acceleration, since the direction of motion changes continuously. Force equilibrium does not hold for accel- erated bodies. No magic forces arise because you move around in a circle – you move in a circle because interactions with the surrounding prevent you from moving straight ahead. It is important to distinguish between forces acting on your own body and forces you exert on the surrounding. This chapter deals with a number of examples of uniform circular motion in a horizontal plane, and how they can be experienced, observed, simulated and measured with simple equipment or electronic sensors.

Keywords: circular motion, carousels, merry-go-round, acceleration, smart- phones, graphs, bio-mechanical coordinate system

Excerpt  (Rotor + Spinning teacup rides, 5 pages)

Additional articles

• Rotating swings - a theme with variations, Pendrill A-M, 2016  Physics Education, 51 (1) 15014 (open access) with video abstract
• Forces in circular motion: discerning student strategies, Pendrill A-M 2020 Physics Education 55 045006