Question

A wind turbine is rotating counterclockwise at 0.626 rev/s and slows to a stop in 12.9 s. Its blades are 17.9 m in length. What is the centripetal acceleration of the tip of the blades at t=0~\text{s}t=0 s?

Answer 1

Answer:

276.5 m/s^2

Explanation:

The initial angular velocity of the turbine is

$\omega=0.626 rev/s \cdot 2\pi rad/rev =3.93 rad/s$

The length of the blade is

r = 17.9 m

So the centripetal acceleration is given by

$a=\omega^2 r$

At the instant t = 0,

$\omega=3.93 rad/s$

So the centripetal acceleration of the tip of the blades is

$a=(3.93 rad/s)^2 (17.9 m)=276.5 m/s^2$