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Centripetal Acceleration Formula:
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Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path, directed toward the center of the circle. It is a fundamental concept in circular motion physics.
The calculator uses the centripetal acceleration formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula shows that centripetal acceleration increases with the square of velocity and decreases with increasing radius.
Details: Understanding centripetal acceleration is crucial for analyzing circular motion in various applications, from vehicle dynamics on curved roads to planetary orbits and amusement park rides.
Tips: Enter velocity in meters per second and radius in meters. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero.
Q1: What's the difference between centripetal and centrifugal acceleration?
A: Centripetal acceleration is the real acceleration toward the center that keeps an object in circular motion, while centrifugal force is a perceived outward force in a rotating reference frame.
Q2: Does centripetal acceleration change the speed of an object?
A: No, centripetal acceleration only changes the direction of velocity, not its magnitude. The speed remains constant in uniform circular motion.
Q3: What are some real-world examples of centripetal acceleration?
A: Examples include cars turning on curves, planets orbiting the sun, electrons moving around atomic nuclei, and clothes spinning in a washing machine.
Q4: How does radius affect centripetal acceleration?
A: For a given velocity, centripetal acceleration decreases as radius increases. Larger curves require less centripetal acceleration to maintain the same speed.
Q5: What units should I use for the calculation?
A: Use meters per second (m/s) for velocity and meters (m) for radius to get centripetal acceleration in meters per second squared (m/s²).