Flashcard 16 - Physics Flashcard Set for the HESI Exam

the distance along the curved path of a circle traveled by an object

In circular motion, instead of measuring straight-line distance, we often measure how far an object moves along the circumference of the circle. Arc length depends on the radius of the circle and the angle through which the object rotates. It is calculated with the formula \(l = r \theta\), where \(l\) is the arc length in meters, \(r\) is the radius of the circle in meters, and \(\theta\) is the angular displacement in radians.