IB Physics Centripetal Force
/A tutorial sheet on centripetal force follows.
- The Earth rotates on its axis once every 23 h 56 m 4 s. Why do objects remain at rest on the Earth (relative to the Earth) ?
- Imagine that the Earth's period of rotation is 2 h. Would an object on the Earth stay at rest on the Earth? Explain.
- A planet of mass M has a radius R and has a period of rotation about its axis of T. Find the weight, relative to the surface of the planet, of a mass m at latitude θ on the planet.
- A centrifuge is spinning at a rate ω. Do heavier particles accumulate near the centre or the outside? Explain.
- A mass m can slide on a smooth horizontal rod. The mass is placed at the centre of the rod. The rod rotates with a constant angular speed ω about an axis perpendicular to one end. Does the mass stay at rest relative to the rod, move inwards or outwards? Explain.
