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Circular Motion or /Laws of Motion

Circular Motion or /Laws of Motion

by Purva Rawat -
Number of replies: 1

Please clear my this some simple doubt.

If a particle is placed on a ceiling fan then which resultant force will provide the centripetal force? If it is reaction force then it will act towards the center . Please explain that who will provide this and how will the reaction force will act towards the center?

In reply to Purva Rawat

Re: Circular Motion or /Laws of Motion

by Manish Verma -
Since the particle is "placed" on the ceiling fan, I assume it is placed at the top surface of the blade.  In this case the normal reaction is upwards and is perpendicular to the surface and hence cannot provide the centripetal force (assuming blade surface to be horizontal which is usually the case in ceiling fan).  It is the static friction that  provides the centripetal force.  Static frictional force is also the resultant force as the vertical forces (electromagnetic reaction and gravitational) cancel each other.