The Basics
The time it takes for an object to complete exactly one full revolution.
What is the Period (T)?
The direction of the acceleration vector for any object in uniform circular motion.
What is toward the center (centripetal)?
In a vertical loop, this is the location where the normal force (or tension) is greatest.
What is the bottom of the loop?
This specific force acts as the centripetal force for a car rounding a flat corner.
What is Static Friction?
The force responsible for keeping a satellite in orbit around the Earth.
What is Gravitational Force?
The direction of the instantaneous velocity vector for an object in uniform circular motion.
What is tangent to the circle (or tangential)?
The SI unit for Centripetal Force.
What is the Newton (N)?
At the top of a vertical circle, gravity points down. This is the direction the Normal force (or Tension) points.
What is Down (toward the center)?
If a truck is twice as heavy as a car, this is how the maximum safe speed on a banked curve compares for the truck.
What is "It is the same"? (Mass cancels out).
If the distance between a satellite and the Earth is doubled, the gravitational force drops to this fraction of the original.
What is 1/4?
A washing machine spinning at 1200 RPM has a frequency of this many Hertz.
What is 20 Hz? (1200/60)
If the velocity of an object is tripled while the radius stays the same, the centripetal acceleration increases by this factor.
What is 9? (Since a∝v^2)
The net centripetal force equation for a bucket swung at the bottom of a vertical circle.
What is Fc=FT−Fg?
In a conical pendulum (tetherball), this component of the Tension counteracts the force of gravity.
What is the vertical component (Ty or Tcosθ)?
The period of a geostationary satellite.
What is 24 hours (or 1 day)?
The formula used to calculate speed if you are given the radius and the period.
What is v=2*pi*r/T
The amount of Work done by the centripetal force on an object moving at a constant speed in a circle.
What is Zero Joules? (Force is perpendicular to displacement).
The net centripetal force equation for a roller coaster car at the top of a loop.
What is Fc=FN+Fg?
A 2 kg ball is spun in a horizontal circle of radius 2m at a constant speed of 4 m/s. This is the centripetal acceleration.
What is 8m/s2? (ac=v^2/r→16/2)
According to the orbital velocity formula $v = \sqrt{GM/r}$, as the orbital radius increases, the orbital speed does this.
What is decreases?
If you double the speed of an object while keeping the radius constant, the period changes by this factor.
What is 1/2 (it is halved)?
This "force" is often felt by passengers in a turning car, but it is actually just their own inertia attempting to travel in a straight line.
What is Centrifugal Force?
To find the minimum speed required to pass the top of a loop without falling, you set the Normal Force (or Tension) to equal this value.
What is Zero?
On a frictionless banked curve, this specific component of the Normal Force provides the centripetal acceleration.
What is the Horizontal Component?
Astronauts on the ISS feel weightless because this force acting on them is zero.
What is the Normal Force? (They are in freefall).