Question

1. A child sitting 1.2 m from the center of a merry-go-round moves with a speed of 1.1 m/s.

Calculate A) the centripetal acceleration of the child and B) the net horizontal force exerted on the
child (mass = 22.5 Kg)

Answer 1

Answers:

A)
`1m/s^(2)`

B) 22. 5 N

Step-by-step explanation:

A) Since this situation is related to uniform circular motion, the centripetal acceleration
`a_(C)` of the child is calculated by:

`a_(C)=(V^(2))/(r)`

Where:

`V=1.1 m/s` is the speed

`r=1.2 m` is the child's distane to the center (the radius)

Hence:

`a_(C)=((1.1 m/s)^(2))/(1.2 m)`

`a_(C)=1.008 m/s^(2) \approx 1 m/s^(2)`

B) Knowing th centripetal acceleration and the mass
`m=22. 5 kg` of the child, we can calculate the net horizontal force
`F` by:

`F=m a_(C)`

`F=(22. 5 kg)(1 m/s^(2))`

`F=22. 5 N`