Home Physics Motion in a Plane Circular Motion in Horizontal Plane A ceiling fan has a diameter (of the circle …
Physics Motion in a Plane Circular Motion in Horizontal Plane Subjective Type
Published on: September 12, 2026

A ceiling fan has a diameter (of the circle through the outer edges of the three blades) of 120 cm and rpm 1500 at full speed. Consider a particle of mass 1g sticking at the outer end of a blade. What is the net force on it, when the fan runs at full speed? Who exerts this force on the particle? How much force does the particle exert on the blade in the plane of motion?

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Step 1: Calculate the radius of the fan.
The diameter is 120 cm, thus the radius \( r = \frac{120}{2} = 60 \) cm = 0.6 m.

Step 2: Convert the mass of the particle to kg.
The mass is 1 g = 0.001 kg.

Step 3: Calculate the angular velocity in radians per second.
The fan speed is 1500 rpm. Conversion to radians per second:
\( \omega = 1500 \times \frac{2\pi}{60} = 157.08 \text{ rad/s} \).

Step 4: Calculate the centripetal acceleration \( a_c \) at the outer end of the blade.
\( a_c = r \omega^2 = 0.6 \times (157.08)^2 \approx 14.81 \text{ m/s}^2 \).

Step 5: Determine the net force acting on the particle using \( F = m \times a_c \).
\( F = 0.001 \times 14.81 = 0.01481 \text{ N} \).

Step 6: Identify the force exerted on the particle.
This force is the centripetal force exerted by the blade on the particle.

Step 7: Calculate the force the particle exerts back on the blade.
By Newton's third law, the particle exerts an equal and opposite force of 0.01481 N on the blade in the plane of motion.

Therefore, the net force on the particle is approximately 0.01481 N. The blade exerts this force, and the particle also exerts a force of approximately 0.01481 N on the blade.

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