

IB DP Physics circular motion lesson pack on angular velocity and centripetal acceleration, Topic A.2 Forces and momentum, SL and HL, first assessment 2025. It shows why a body going round a circle at constant speed is still accelerating. Editable worksheet, 57-slide lesson deck, teacher key, worked solutions and a questions-only assessment, supplied as self-contained HTML plus colour and black-and-white PDF.
What students learn
- In uniform circular motion the speed is constant but the velocity turns, so the body accelerates.
- Period, frequency and angular velocity in rad s⁻¹.
- The class shows v = ωr = 2πr/T from the length of an arc.
- Students split the acceleration into parts along and across the velocity to show why it points to the centre.
- Centripetal acceleration, a = v²/r = ω²r = 4π²r/T². Students choose the form that suits the quantities given.
IB skills (Tool 3: Mathematics, with Inquiry 3), all practised:
- Select and manipulate equations.
- Calculate with ratios, reciprocals, exponents and trigonometric ratios.
- Express derived units in terms of SI units.
- Linearize graphs, only where appropriate.
- Interpret the gradient and intercept of a graph.
- Propagate uncertainties in processed data.
- Draw and interpret uncertainty bars.
- Identify and discuss random and systematic errors.
What’s included:
- Student Worksheet - 20 pages
- Teacher Key - 32 pages
- Worked Solutions - 19 pages
- Assessment - 14 pages
- Lesson deck - 57 slides
Nine written questions carry 57 marks across 30 parts, and there are five multiple-choice items. The class works Questions 1 to 6, worth 26 marks, in the lesson. The rest go home, ending on a ten-mark data question in the Paper 1B pattern. Students find the radius of a phone’s circle on a turntable from a linearized graph, then explain a systematic error. Two of the nine figures have answer layers, stripped from the student copy, not hidden.
It opens on a merry-go-round and a class vote: is the child accelerating? It covers the motion only, not centripetal force. Two margin boxes cover radians and arc length. SI units, IB notation and IB command terms throughout. Use it with grades 11-12 (ages 16-19) as a lesson, cover lesson, homework or revision.
Part of the A.2 Forces and Momentum Complete Unit Bundle, 30% off buying the packs separately.
Related resources:
- Acceleration and Non-Uniform Motion, where acceleration is defined
- Topic A.2 Test: Forces and Momentum, the topic test
- Uncertainties on a Graph, the skill pack behind the data question
- The Units of a Quantity, base and derived units (free)
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