Spinning toy

So as I was on my weekly search for something to write a blog about (I swear I'm going to completely blank someday and be completely unable to think of anything), my gaze fell on a toy in my brother's toy box. With, his permission, I stole it, and here it is. (please ignore the random conversation of my dad and brother in the background.)




Clearly, it demonstrates circular motion, as the motor inside provides the force needed to keep it spinning. (This force must exist, because of Newton's second law). It accelerates at first, then reaches a constant speed. There is centripetal force pointed inward, with constant acceleration once it reaches the final speed, since the velocity is constantly changing direction. The axis of rotation would be the center of the toy.
If the toy spins about 5 times a second (a random number) then the period (the amount of time it takes to spin once) is about 0.2 sec. If the radius is 0.05 cm, and the period equals T = (2)(pi)(r) / velocity, then the velocity of the outside of the toy is about 1.57 m/s.