Consider an object with a mass of 12.5 kg moving at a constant speed in a circular path with a radius of <11.30> m. The object makes one full revolution in <16.60> seconds. Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the object. Give your answer in m/s2 and with 3 significant figures.

Question

I know you have to use the equation ( a=v^2/r) but I don't know how to figure out the Velocity in the equation. I am confused

Answer 1

Ac = v^2/R = omega^2 R

well circumference = 2 pi R
= 22.6 pi meters

does that circumference in 16.6 seconds
so

v = 22.6 pi/16.6 meters/second

so
Ac = (22 pi/16.6)^2 / 11.3

the mass has nothing to do with it unless you want the tension in a string :)