Final answer:
The centripetal acceleration of a 0.5 kg ball moving in a circle of 0.4 m radius at a speed of 5 m/s is calculated using the formula ac = v^2 / r, resulting in a centripetal acceleration of 62.5 m/s^2.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about the centripetal acceleration of a 0.5 kg ball moving in a circle with a radius of 0.4 m at a speed of 5 m/s. To calculate centripetal acceleration, we use the formula ac = v^2 / r, where ac is the centripetal acceleration, v is the speed, and r is the radius of the circular path.
Substituting the given values into the formula:
ac = (5 m/s)^2 / 0.4 m
ac = 25 m^2/s^2 / 0.4 m
ac = 62.5 m/s^2
Thus, the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of the ball is 62.5 m/s^2.