Question

If the distance from the center of a merry-go-round to the edge is 1.2 m, and the merry-go-round rotates at a tangential speed of 0.5 m/s, what centripetal acceleration does a passenger experience?

A) 0.83 m/s²
B) 0.6 m/s²
C) 0.42 m/s²
D) 0.21 m/s²

Answer 1

The centripetal acceleration experienced by a passenger on a merry-go-round with a radius of 1.2 m and tangential speed of 0.5 m/s is approximately 0.21 m/s^2.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the centripetal acceleration experienced by a passenger on a merry-go-round, we can use the formula:

Centripetal acceleration = Tangential speed^2 / Radius

Given that the tangential speed is 0.5 m/s and the radius is 1.2 m, we can substitute these values into the formula:

Centripetal acceleration = (0.5 m/s)^2 / 1.2 m = 0.208 m/s^2

Therefore, the centripetal acceleration experienced by a passenger on the merry-go-round is approximately 0.21 m/s^2 (Option D).