Centripetal acceleration

Front

What is centripetal acceleration?

Back

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path, directed towards the center of the circle.

Front

What is the formula for centripetal acceleration?

Back

The formula for centripetal acceleration (a_c) is a_c = v²/r, where v is the linear velocity and r is the radius of the circular path.

Front

What direction does the centripetal force act on an object in circular motion?

Back

The centripetal force acts directed toward the center of the circular path.

Front

True or False: An object in circular motion has a constant speed.

Back

False. An object in circular motion has a constant speed but a changing velocity due to the change in direction.

Front

What is the relationship between centripetal force and mass?

Back

Centripetal force is directly proportional to the mass of the object and its centripetal acceleration (F_c = m * a_c).

Front

If a horse gallops around a circular arena, what provides the centripetal force?

Back

The centripetal force can be provided by tension in the reins, friction between the horse's hooves and the ground, or gravitational force.

Front

How does increasing the speed of an object affect its centripetal acceleration?

Back

Increasing the speed of an object increases its centripetal acceleration, as it is proportional to the square of the speed (a_c = v²/r).

Front

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

Back

If the radius is doubled, the centripetal acceleration is halved, since a_c = v²/(2r).

Front

What is the unit of centripetal acceleration?

Back

The unit of centripetal acceleration is meters per second squared (m/s²).

Front

What is an example of centripetal acceleration in everyday life?

Back

An example of centripetal acceleration is a car turning around a curve or a satellite orbiting the Earth.