What is the turning circle in the corner of my screen

The iPad is searching for something that is waiting or trying to download ... Email, an app is installing. A song is downloading ... Something like that.

If it is constantly searching and you know that nothing is downloading or installing - restart or reboot the iPad.

Restart the iPad by holding down on the sleep button until the red slider appears and then slide to shut off. To power up hold the sleep button until the Apple logo appears and let go of the button.

Reboot the iPad by holding down on the sleep and home buttons at the same time for about 10-15 seconds until the Apple Logo appears - ignore the red slider - let go of the buttons.

The icon will only go away when the device finishes loading what it wants to, that is the way.

If you double click the home button, or use the three finger squipe, it should show all of the applications that have been opended, if you press down on an icon for a few moments, they will start to dance and you can close them off that way. It also helps your battery life.

Cheers,

Very few apps, if any, run in the background. Most of the apps in the recents tray are merely that - recently used apps and they are not actually running but are in a suspended state. Some apps are meant to run in the background.... the Music App, radio apps like Pandora ... Those are designed to run in the background.

Read this for more information on Multitasking/running apps.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4211