For my physics class, I am doing a project in which I am studying circular motion. I took video of a ride called the whip in which the car accelerates around a semi-circular end of the track in essence "whipping" you around the track. My question is how to find the velocity of such motion. I initially thought to use the equation V=2pi(r)/t but I'm not sure if this would be correct for a semi circle. I was wondering if anyone would know how to find the velocity of such motion. My time was 2.3 seconds and my diameter was 3.98 m.
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The formula you are using is for traveling around a complete circle. For ½ circle,
v = π*R/t = π*(3.98/2)/2.3 = 2.72 m/s
v = π*R/t = π*(3.98/2)/2.3 = 2.72 m/s
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Yes, that is still correct. Even though the path is not fully circular, the motion is, so the same equations still apply, because it you were to continue in that motion, you would complete a full circle. So yes,
v = (2pir)/t = (2 x pi x (3.98/2))/(2.3) = 5.44 m/s
v = (2pir)/t = (2 x pi x (3.98/2))/(2.3) = 5.44 m/s