Station 4C - Centripetal motion

Front

What is centripetal motion?

Back

Centripetal motion refers to the motion of an object moving in a circular path, where it is constantly changing direction due to the centripetal force acting towards the center of the circle.

Front

True or False: An object in circular motion is constantly changing its velocity.

Back

True

Front

What is centripetal acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration that occurs in circular motion, directed towards the center of the circle, and is calculated using the formula a_c = v^2 / r, where v is the velocity and r is the radius.

Front

Calculate the centripetal acceleration of a dolphin swimming in a circle with a radius of 30 m and a velocity of 3.2 m/s.

Back

0.341 m/s^2

Front

What speed must a stone move in a horizontal circle of radius 2.0 m for its centripetal acceleration to equal the acceleration due to gravity (g)?

Back

4.42 m/s

Front

True or False: Inertia is always tangent to the centripetal force.

Back

True

Front

What is the direction of velocity for an object in circular motion?

Back

The direction of velocity is always tangent to the circular path at any point.

Front

What is the formula for centripetal force?

Back

Centripetal force (F_c) is given by the formula F_c = m * a_c, where m is the mass of the object and a_c is the centripetal acceleration.

Front

If a car is rounding a bend, what does the centripetal force depend on?

Back

The centripetal force depends on the mass of the car, the speed of the car, and the radius of the bend.

Front

What happens to the centripetal acceleration if the radius of the circular path is doubled while keeping the speed constant?

Back

The centripetal acceleration is halved, as it is inversely proportional to the radius (a_c = v^2 / r).