A wasp circles around a beer can at constant speed once per second in a path with a 12-cm diameter. We can conclude that the wasp's wings must push on the air with force components that are:
A)straight down.
B)down and inwards.
C)down and outwards.
D)down and backwards.
E)down, inwards and backwards.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the wasp is moving in a circular path, there must be a centripetal force acting on it. This force is provided by the air resistance on the wasp's wings. The force must point towards the center of the circle, which is downward and outward. Therefore, the force components must be down and outwards.

A Wasp Circles Around a Beer Can at Constant Speed