Circular motion – Further Mechanics Paper 3

Candidates should be able to:

• understand the concept of angular speed for a particle moving in a circle, and use the relation \(v = r\omega\)
• understand that the acceleration of a particle moving in a circle with constant speed is directed towards the centre of the circle, and use the formulae \(r\omega^2\) and \(\frac{v^2}{r}\). (Proof of the acceleration formulae is not required.)
• solve problems which can be modelled by the motion of a particle moving in a horizontal circle with constant speed
• solve problems which can be modelled by the motion of a particle in a vertical circle without loss of energy. (Including finding a normal contact force or the tension in a string, locating points at which these are zero, and conditions for complete circular motion.)

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