Question

Calculate the magnitude and direction of the centripetal acceleration of the following objects moving in a circle:

Answer 1

Answer:

The magnitude and direction of the centripetal acceleration will be:

$a_c=5$ m/s²   (towards the center of the circle).

Explanation:

Given

• v = 10 m/s

• r = 20 m

Using the formula to determine the centripetal acceleration

$a_c=\frac{v^2}{r}$

$a_c=\frac{\left(10\right)^2}{20}$

$\:a_c=\frac{100}{20}$

$a_c=5$ m/s²

As the truck is moving in a circle, therefore the direction is towards the center of the circle.

Hence, the magnitude and direction of the centripetal acceleration will be:

$a_c=5$ m/s²   (towards the center of the circle).