On a two-lane highway (not divided), a car headed north experiences a centripetal acceleration directed toward the west. Simultaneously, a truck passes the car, headed south in the other lane. The direction of the centripetal acceleration on the truck is
A) west.
B) east.
C) north.
D) south.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The centripetal acceleration is always directed toward the center of the curve. In this case, the car is traveling north and experiences a centripetal acceleration directed toward the west. This means that the center of the curve is to the west of the car. The truck is traveling south in the other lane, so it is also traveling on the same curve. Therefore, the center of the curve is also to the west of the truck. This means that the centripetal acceleration on the truck is also directed toward the west.

On a Two-Lane Highway (Not Divided), a Car Headed North