Question

A small object of mass 0.500 kg is attached by a 0.870 m - long cord to a pin set into the surface of a frictionless table top. The object moves in a circle on the horizontal surface with a speed of 7.85 m/s. What is the magnitude of the radial acceleration of the object?

Answer 1

The radial acceleration formula is

`a_c=(v^2)/(r)`

Where r = 0.870 m and v = 7.85 m/s. Let's replace these values and solve

`\begin{gathered} a_c=((7.85m/s)^2)/(0.870m)=(61.62m^2/s^2)/(0.870m)_{} \\ a_c\approx70.83m/s^2 \end{gathered}`

Hence, the radial acceleration is around 70.83 m/s2.