Question

A child sitting 1.20 m from the center of a merry-go-round moves with a speed of 1.35 m/s. (a) calculate the centripetal acceleration of the child.

Answer 1

The centripetal acceleration in an uniform circular motion is given by

a = V² / r

Where V is the speed and r the radius of the circle (distance to the center)

a = (1.35 m/s)² / 1.2m = 1.519 m/s²