Imagine you are driving around a horizontal circular track (such as a roundabout

Question

Imagine you are driving around a horizontal circular track (such as a roundabout at an intersection or freeway exit). You are driving at a constant speed of 12.0 km/h, and your circular path has a radius of 17.0 meters.

(a) When you are at the southernmost point on the circular track and driving towards the west, what is your acceleration? Give your answer in m/s2

The magnitude is m/s2,

and the direction is

choose from the drop-down list

East

No Direction, since the acceleration is zero.

North

South

West

(b) When you are at the easternmost point on the circular track and driving towards the south, what is your acceleration?

The magnitude is m/s2,

and the direction is

choose from the drop-down list

East

No Direction, since the acceleration is zero.

North

South

West

Explanation / Answer

The acceleration is the same regardless of the direction.

But we do have to change 12.0 km/h to m/s:

12.0 km/h(1000m/km)(1h/3600s) = 3.33m/s

The formula for centripetal force:

F = mv^2/r

F = ma

a = F/m = v^2/r

a = 3.33^2/17.0 = 0.652m/s^2

point to north

b)a=0.654m/s^2

point to west

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