One of the distinctive characteristics of circular shafts is their ability to maintain their cross-sectional integrity under torsion. In other words, each cross-section continues to exist as a flat, unaltered entity, simply rotating like a solid, rigid slab. To understand the distribution of shearing stress within such a shaft, consider a cylindrical section inside this circular shaft. This section has a length of L and a radius of R, with one end fixed. The radius of the cylindrical section is...

In uniform circular motion, the particle executing circular motion has a constant speed, and the circle is at a fixed radius. However, not all circular motion occurs at a constant speed. A particle can travel in a circle and speed up or slow down, showing an acceleration in the direction of motion. In that case, the motion is called non-uniform circular motion, and an additional acceleration is introduced, which is in the direction tangential to the circle. 
For example, such...

Suppose a car moves on flat ground and turns to the left. The centripetal force causing the car to turn in a circular path is due to friction between the tires and the road. For this, a minimum coefficient of friction is needed, or the car will move in a larger-radius curve and leave the roadway. Let's now consider banked curves, where the slope of the road helps in negotiating the curve. The greater the angle of the curve, the faster one can take the curve. It is common for race tracks for...

Consider a scenario where a circular shaft is subject to torque that remains within the boundaries of Hooke's Law, avoiding any permanent deformation. So, the formula for shearing strain is revisited. This formula is multiplied by the modulus of rigidity, and then Hooke's Law for the shearing stress and strain is applied. As a result, the equation for shearing stress in a shaft can be derived.

Uniform circular motion is a specific type of motion in which an object travels in a circle with a constant speed. For example, any point on a propeller spinning at a constant rate is undergoing uniform circular motion. The second, minute, and hour hands of a watch also undergo uniform circular motion. It is hard to believe that points on these rotating objects are actually accelerating, even though the rotation rate is constant. To understand this, we must analyze the motion in terms of...

An object undergoing circular motion, like a race car, is accelerating because it is changing the direction of its velocity. This centrally directed acceleration is called centripetal acceleration. This acceleration acts along the radius of the curved path (thus is also referred to as radial acceleration).
Any acceleration must be produced by some force. Therefore, any force or combination of forces can cause centripetal acceleration. A few examples include the tension in the rope on a...