Mechanics: Circular Motion and Gravitation

Circular Motion and Gravitation: Audio Guided Solution

Problem 9:

In an effort to rev up his class, Mr. H does a demonstration with a bucket of water tied to a 1.3-meter long string. The bucket and water have a mass of 1.8 kg. Mr. H whirls the bucket in a vertical circle such that it has a speed of 3.9 m/s at the top of the loop and 6.4 m/s at the bottom of the loop.

a. Determine the acceleration of the bucket at each location.
b. Determine the net force experienced by the bucket at each location.
c. Draw a free body diagram for the bucket for each location and determine the tension force in the string for the two locations.

Audio Guided Solution

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Habits of an Effective Problem Solver

  • Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
  • Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., m = 61.7 kg, v= 18.5 m/s, R = 30.9 m, Fnorm = ???.
  • Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
  • Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
  • Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.

Read About It!

Get more information on the topic of Circular Motion and Gravitation at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.

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