Centripetal Acceleration
Definition
Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path. It is always directed towards the center of the circle and its magnitude can be calculated using the formula a = v^2/r, where v is the velocity of the object and r is the radius of the circle.
Analogy
Imagine you are riding a roller coaster on a circular track. The centripetal acceleration can be compared to how tightly you are pushed against your seat as you go around each turn. The faster you go or the tighter the turn, the stronger the force pushing you towards the center.
Related terms
Centripetal Force: This term refers to the force that acts towards the center of a circular path, causing an object to experience centripetal acceleration.
Tangential Velocity: This term refers to the velocity of an object tangent to its circular path at any given point.
Periodic Motion: This term refers to any motion that repeats itself over regular intervals of time, such as an object moving in a circle at a constant speed.
"Centripetal Acceleration" appears in:
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Practice Questions (4)
- An atom has a mass of 6 x 10^5 kg and orbits around another atom at a speed of 31.5 m/s with a constant radial distance of 150 m. What is the atoms's centripetal acceleration?
- Centripetal acceleration is best represented by
- Centripetal acceleration...
- What force causes centripetal acceleration when a ball is swung around a vertical circle on a string?
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