Question

Phillip swings a rubber ball attached to a string over his head in a horizontal, circular path. The piece of the string is 0 m long and is inclined at 40 degrees to the vertical. The ball of mass 400g moves at a constant speed.Which of the following statements is correct regarding the forces acting on the ball?

a) The tension in the string provides the centripetal force needed for circular motion.

b) The gravitational force acting downward is the only force acting on the ball.

c) The normal force is responsible for maintaining the circular path of the ball.

d) The ball experiences an increase in weight due to the circular motion.

Answer 1

The correct statement is that the tension in the string provides the centripetal force needed for the ball's circular motion. Gravitational force acts downward, there is no normal force involved, and the ball's weight does not increase due to the motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Phillip swings a rubber ball attached to a string over his head in a horizontal, circular path, several forces are acting on the ball. The correct statement regarding these forces is: The tension in the string provides the centripetal force needed for circular motion. This tension force is directed towards the center of the circle, thus fulfilling the requirement for centripetal force which keeps the ball moving in the circular path. The gravitational force acts downward and contributes to the ball's weight but does not maintain the circular motion. There is no normal force in this circumstance because the ball is not in contact with a surface. Lastly, the weight of the ball does not increase due to the circular motion, but rather the tension in the string must counteract both the weight and provide the necessary centripetal force.