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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 responsible for keeping the object in circular motion rather than moving in a straight line.
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 of the circular path.
Details: Understanding centripetal acceleration is crucial in various fields including automotive engineering (vehicle turning), amusement park ride design, satellite orbital mechanics, and particle physics.
Tips: Enter velocity in meters per second (m/s) and radius in meters (m). Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero for accurate calculation.
Q1: What is the difference between centripetal and centrifugal acceleration?
A: Centripetal acceleration is the actual acceleration toward the center that keeps an object in circular motion, while centrifugal force is the apparent outward force experienced in a rotating reference frame.
Q2: How does centripetal acceleration relate to centripetal force?
A: Centripetal force is the net force causing centripetal acceleration, related by Newton's second law: \( F_c = m \times a_c \), where m is mass.
Q3: What are some real-world examples of centripetal acceleration?
A: Cars turning on curved roads, planets orbiting the sun, electrons orbiting atomic nuclei, and clothes spinning in a washing machine.
Q4: What happens if centripetal force is removed?
A: The object will move in a straight line tangent to the circular path at the point where the force was removed, following Newton's first law of motion.
Q5: Can centripetal acceleration be negative?
A: No, centripetal acceleration is always positive as it represents magnitude. The direction is always toward the center of the circular path.