Question

A race car travels a circular track at an average rate of 135 mi/hr. The radius of the track is 0.450 miles. What is the centripetal acceleration of the car? 300 mi/hr2 61 mi/hr2 8,201 mi/hr2 40,500 mi/hr2

Answer 1

(D) 40,500 mi/hr2

Answer 2

The centripetal acceleration of the race car is 40500 mi/hr^2.

This can be calculated as the square of the velocity v divided by the radius r of the circular track:
a = v^2 / r

Substituting the given values of velocity v = 135 mi/hr and radius r = 0.450 miles, the centripetal acceleration a of the car is therefore
a = (135 miles/hour)^2 / (0.450 miles)
= 40500 miles/hour^2.