Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2020

Last exams 2024

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Kinematics of Uniform Circular Motion (CIE A Level Physics)

Exam Questions

26 mins3 questions
1a
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1 mark

Explain why one complete revolution is equivalent to an angular displacement of 2π rad.

1b
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1 mark

A particle is following a circular path is observed to have an angular displacement of 0.22 rad.

Express this angle in degrees (°). Show your working and give your answer to an appropriate number of significant figures.
1c
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2 marks

Calculate the percentage error that is made when the angle 0.22 rad, as measured in degrees (θ°), is assumed to be equal to tan(θ°) to four significant figures. Give your final answer to two significant figures.

1d
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3 marks

The particle travels the angle in part (b) in 60 ms.

Calculate the frequency of the particle. 

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2a
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2 marks

State the difference between angular velocity and linear velocity.

2b
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3 marks

A moon is in a circular orbit r about a planet. The angular speed of the moon in its orbit is ω. The planet and its moon may be considered to be point masses that are isolated in space. 

r and ω are related by the expression 

      r3ω2 = constant 

Io and Europa are moons that are in circular orbits around the planet Jupiter.  

Data for Io and Europa are shown in Fig 1.1.

 
moon radius of orbit / km period of rotation around Jupiter / hours
Io 422 000 42.5
Europa 670 900  

Fig 1.1

Use the data from Fig 1.1. to determine the angular speed of Europa in its orbit around Jupiter.

2c
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2 marks

Calculate the time period of Europa.

 
 
T = ................................ years
2d
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2 marks

Determine the radius of the orbit of a moon that had double the linear speed of Io but a third of its time period.

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3a
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3 marks

Two children A and B hold both sides of a rope 70 cm long. Child A swings around child B in a circular path, as shown Fig 1.1.

12-1-3a-m-circular-motion-a-and-b

Fig 1.1

Child B travels a full rotation in 1.5 s.

Calculate the time taken for child B to travel a distance of 0.45 m.

3b
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3 marks

Show that the angular displacement, Δθ in this time is 37°.

3c
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3 marks

Child A now swings child B round till they are making 5 revolutions every 2 seconds. 

Calculate the linear speed of child B. 

3d
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1 mark

As the children are spinning anti-clockwise, the rope suddenly snaps at the position of child A and B shown in Fig 1.2.

12-1-3d-m-circular-motion-a-and-b-2
Fig 1.2
 

Draw the direction child B will continue to travel in the instance the rope is snapped.

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