If the speed of an object in circular motion is increased by a factor of 3, its centripetal acceleration for the same radius will be multiplied by a factor of
A) 0.111.
B) 0.333.
C) 1.73.
D) 9.
E) 3.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The centripetal acceleration (a_c) is given by the formula a_c = v^2/r, where v is the speed of the object and r is the radius of the circle. If the speed is increased by a factor of 3, the new speed is 3v. Substituting this into the formula gives a new acceleration of (3v)^2/r = 9v^2/r, which is 9 times the original acceleration.

If the Speed of an Object in Circular Motion Is