Syllabus Edition

First teaching 2023

First exams 2025

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Centripetal Acceleration (CIE A Level Physics)

Revision Note

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Leander

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What causes centripetal acceleration?

Centripetal force

  • A centripetal force of constant magnitude always acts perpendicular to the direction of motion and causes centripetal acceleration
  • The centripetal force (F) is defined as:

The resultant force towards the centre of the circle required to keep a body in uniform circular motion. It is always directed towards the centre of the body's rotation.

  • Centripetal force is not a separate force of its own
    • It can be created by different forces depending on the situation, for example gravitational force or tension

Examples of centripetal force

Situation Centripetal Force
Car travelling around a roundabout Friction 
Ball attached to a rope moving in a circle Tension
Earth orbiting the Sun Gravitational attraction

  • The centripetal force and acceleration act in the same direction towards the centre of the circle
    • Perpendicular to the direction of the linear speed
  • Velocity and acceleration  are both vector  quantities
  • An object in uniform circular motion is continuously changing direction, so, therefore, has a constantly changing linear velocity
    • The object is accelerating

Centripetal force and acceleration

Force and acceleration direction, downloadable AS & A Level Physics revision notes

Centripetal force and acceleration are always directed towards the centre of the circle

Examiner Tip

  • The linear speed is sometimes referred to as the ‘tangential’ speed
  • A tangent is a straight line which touches a circle or curve at exactly one point
  • The key feature of a tangent to a circle is that it always acts perpendicular to its radius
  • You can find out more in the A Level Maths revision notes on Tangents

Relating centripetal acceleration & angular speed

  • An object travelling in uniform circular motion has centripetal acceleration, yet its angular speed () is constant
    • This is because speed is a scalar quantity, whilst velocity is a vector quantity
    • Therefore, angular speed is the magnitude (size) component of angular velocity

 

  • Key ideas to remember:
    • Angular speed (magnitude) stays constant, angular velocity (direction) is constantly changing
    • Angular speed does not change with radius, but linear speed does
    • The object’s centripetal acceleration is always directed toward the centre of the circle, and is perpendicular to the object’s velocity at any one time
    • Velocity and acceleration are both defined by a change in direction, not just a change in the magnitude

Examiner Tip

We are used to the idea of acceleration meaning something is speeding up. So, it might sound counterintuitive to say an object travelling in a circle is accelerating, yet it also has constant speed. This is where the idea of scalars and vectors would be useful to revisit if you are not confident with this concept.

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Leander

Author: Leander

Expertise: Physics

Leander graduated with First-class honours in Science and Education from Sheffield Hallam University. She won the prestigious Lord Robert Winston Solomon Lipson Prize in recognition of her dedication to science and teaching excellence. After teaching and tutoring both science and maths students, Leander now brings this passion for helping young people reach their potential to her work at SME.