The centripetal acceleration of a body moving in a circle of radius r with speed v is
Correct answer: A. v squared divided by r, directed towards the centre
- A. v squared divided by r, directed towards the centre
- B. v squared times r, directed away from the centre
- C. v divided by r squared, directed along the tangent
- D. zero, since the speed is constant
Explanation
The acceleration has magnitude v squared over r, equivalently r omega squared, and always points at the centre, which is why it is called centripetal or centre seeking. It changes only the direction of motion and never the speed, since it is perpendicular to the velocity at every instant. That perpendicularity is also why it does no work.
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About Angular and Linear Quantities
Rotational motion relates angular displacement, angular velocity and angular acceleration to linear displacement, tangential velocity and tangential acceleration through the radius. Questions use radians, v equals r omega and tangential acceleration, while distinguishing tangential velocity from centripetal acceleration and angular quantities from their linear counterparts.
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