The position of an object in a plane can be converted from polar to cartesian coordinates through the equations
x = r \cos \theta \!
y = r \sin \theta \!
Expressing θ as a function of time gives equations for the cartesian coordinates as a function of time in uniform circular motion:
x = r \cos (\theta_0 + \omega t) \!
y = r \sin (\theta_0 + \omega t) \!
Differentiation with respect to time gives the components of the velocity vector:
v_x = \omega r (-\sin (\omega t)) = -v \sin (\omega t) \!
v_y = \omega r \cos (\omega t) = v \cos (\omega t) \!
Velocity in circular motion is a vector tangential to the trajectory of the object. Furthermore, even though the speed is constant the velocity vector changes direction over time. Further differentiation leads to the components of the acceleration (which are just the rate of change of the velocity components):
a_x = - \omega ^2 r \cos (\omega t) \!
a_y = - \omega ^2 r \sin (\omega t) \!
The acceleration vector is perpendicular to the velocity and oriented towards the centre of the circular trajectory. For that reason, acceleration in circular motion is referred to as centripetal acceleration.
The absolute value of centripetal acceleration may be readily obtained by
a_{cp} = \sqrt{a_x ^2 + a_y ^ 2} = \sqrt{(\omega ^2 r)^2 (\cos^2 (\omega t) + \sin^2 (\omega t))}
a_{cp} = \omega ^2 r = \frac{v^2}{r}
For centripetal acceleration, and therefore circular motion, to be maintained a centripetal force must act on the object. From Newton's Second Law it follows directly that the force will be given by
\vec{F_{cp}} = m \vec{a_{cp}}
the components being
F_x = - m \omega ^2 r \cos (\omega t) \!
F_y = - m \omega ^2 r \sin (\omega t) \!
and the absolute value