The magnitude of the acceleration of an object moving in a circle at constant speed is
A) inversely proportional to the speed squared.
B) inversely proportional to the speed.
C) inversely proportional to the radius of the circle squared.
D) inversely proportional to the radius of the circle.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The magnitude of the acceleration of an object moving in a circle at constant speed (centripetal acceleration) is given by the formula $a = \frac{v^2}{r}$, where $v$ is the speed of the object and $r$ is the radius of the circle. This shows that the acceleration is inversely proportional to the radius of the circle.

The Magnitude of the Acceleration of an Object Moving in a Circle