Question

What is the difference between circular motion and uniform circular motion?

Answer 1

Circular motion can be uniform or nonuniform. Uniform circular motion involves an object moving at a constant speed along a circular path, while nonuniform circular motion features changing speed. Uniform circular motion maintains a constant angular velocity, indicating a constant rate of change of the angle over time.

Step-by-step explanation:

The difference between circular motion and uniform circular motion lies in the speed of the object traveling on a circular path. Circular motion can be either uniform or nonuniform; in uniform circular motion, the object travels around the path with a constant speed. In contrast, in nonuniform circular motion, the speed of the object changes as it moves along the circular path; this could mean the object is either speeding up or slowing down.

Uniform circular motion is motion in a circle at a constant speed and, hence, a constant angular velocity. This can be exemplified by the hands of a clock or a spinning propeller where each point moves at a stable speed despite always changing direction, which means it is actually accelerating. For an object in simple harmonic motion, there is a comparative motion if we project the object's position onto a diameter of the circular path it moves along; although the speed varies.

Answer 2

Circular motion is motion around a circular path. It may have a
constant speed, or it may speed up, slow down, stop for a while,
then start up suddenly, proceed in jumps, then slowly peter out
again until it's barely crawling, then accelerate to such a high speed
that the track starts smoking.

If the circular motion is at a constant speed and doesn't speed up
or slow down, then it's called 'uniform' circular motion.