Lab report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Lab report - Essay Example Centripetal force is the description of the net force acting on an object moving in a circle. Any object moving in a circular motion will have a force acting on it to prevent it from deviating from the path of motion. The force also causes the object to deviate from its straight line motion. The direction of centripetal force is perpendicular to the velocity vector as the object is changing its direction and undergoing an inward acceleration (James Shipman). An object moving in a circular motion is accelerating. The acceleration is as a result of changing velocity either the changing magnitude of the velocity vector or the direction. Even if the body is moving at a steady speed, it is accelerating due to changing direction. The direction of acceleration is inwards towards the centre of the circle. In the diagram above, the particle is moving with constant speed but its acceleration is changing due to the changing velocity factor. Due to this change, acceleration is noted and directed towards the centre. The direction of instantaneous velocity is obtained by taking the two radial vectors defining a circle in constant motion. As the two radial vectors get closer together, becomes tangent to the circle. Since the direction of the velocity is equivalent to the direction of, then the velocity vector is in the direction tangent to the circle pointing perpendicular to the position vector (James Shipman). Resolving tesnion in 1 and 2 into vertical and horizontal elements, we find that horizontal components T1cosá µ ¨ and T2 cos á µ ¨ are in the same direction. These components add up to give centripetal force (James Shipman). The centripetal force for measurement 2 and 3 are the same because, in both cases, the masses on the hanger are almost the same. In measurement 2, the mass is 0.82 kg and in measurement 3, the mass on the hanger is o.84kg. These two masses produce relatively the same