Circular Motion on a Vertical Plane

Circular motion on a vertical plane involves a large variation of possible motions with the centripetal acceleration pointing in any direction between up, horizontal, and down and the force from the ride combining with gravity in a way that changes continuously. The different ride examples highlight that the moving body may rotate around different axes — or not at all. They aim to increase the awareness of the orientation of the body and of forces and rotation around different axes. This chapter also prepares students for rigid-body dynamics in three dimensions, which is known to be a challenging aspect of engineering mechanics. Rotation axes are less abstract when they involve our own bodies. A few cases of uniform circular motion from slow moving Ferris wheels to classic family or thrill rides are discussed before continuing with non-uniform circular motion, including flying carpet rides. Finally, a few examples of combined circular motions are introduced. Pendulum motion and roller coaster loops where the tangential forces from the ride are negligible will be discussed in Chapters 7 and 8.