Circular Motion (OCR GCSE Physics A (Gateway))
Revision Note
Written by: Ashika
Reviewed by: Caroline Carroll
Circular Motion
Higher Tier Only
Velocity is a vector quantity, and the velocity of an object is its speed in a given direction
When an object travels along a circular path, its velocity is always changing
The speed of the object moving in a circle might be constant - that is, it is travelling the same distance every second
However, the direction of travel is always changing as the object moves along the circular path
This means that an object moving in circular motion travels at a constant speed but has a changing velocity
The image below shows an example of a famous object that moves in a circular path with a constant speed but changing direction:
The International Space Station’s velocity is always changing - it whizzes around the Earth at a constant speed of about 7660 m/s but is always changing direction
Examiner Tips and Tricks
You may be asked to explain why motion in a circle involves constant speed but changing velocity, so remember to mention that velocity is a vector quantity, so both magnitude and direction are important.
Even though the magnitude (speed) doesn’t change, its direction does - so the velocity itself is changing. Because of this, objects in circular motion are always accelerating!
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