Question
A 70 cm diameter wheel is rotating at 1 300 revolutions per minute and a small 5g mass is fixed to the outer edge of the wheel. Calculate the strength and direction of the centripetal force that is exerted on the mass.
Answers
Alex
First convert your angular speed from rpm to rad/s. You can then convert your angular speed to tangential speed with v = omega * r. (Be sure to convert that diameter into SI units!)
Newton's second law gives us F = ma, where this is centripetal acceleration, so
F = (mv^2)/r. You have m and r, and solved for v previously.
Note that this assumes a horizontal wheel.
Newton's second law gives us F = ma, where this is centripetal acceleration, so
F = (mv^2)/r. You have m and r, and solved for v previously.
Note that this assumes a horizontal wheel.