Smith

Centripetal Acceleration Practice Name_______________________________________

PSI Physics

1. What is the acceleration of an object that has a velocity of 40 m/s and is moving in a circle of
radius 130m?

2. An object is experiencing an acceleration of 9.5 m/s 2 while traveling in a circle of radius

12.4m. What is its velocity?

3. An object is experiencing an acceleration of 20 m/s 2 while traveling in a circle at a velocity of

8.8 m/s. What is the radius of its motion?

4. What is the net force acting on a 14.0 kg object that has a velocity of 19 m/s and is moving in
a circle of radius 4.2 m?

5. A 6 kg object is experiencing a net force of 17 N while traveling in a circle of radius 31m.

What is its velocity?

6. A 2.45 kg object is experiencing a net force of 66 N while traveling in a circle at a velocity of

52 m/s. What is the radius of its motion?
7. An object is spun around in circular motion such that it completes 20 cycles in 8 s.
a. What is the period of its rotation?

b. What is the frequency of its rotation?

8. A 34.0 kg object is spun around in a circle of radius 15.0 m with a period of 6.2 s.
a. What is the frequency of its rotation?

b. *What is its velocity?

c. *What is its acceleration?

d. *What is the net force acting on it?

9. A 0.95 kg object is spun around in a circle of radius 5.8 m with a frequency of 7 Hz.
a. What is the period of its rotation?

b. *What is its velocity?

c. *What is its acceleration?

d. *What is the net force acting on it?

Centripetal Acceleration Practice ANSWER KEY
PSI Physics 49 points

*** REMOVE 8 b,c,d and 9 b,c,d if following * curriculum

1. +3 points (equation, substitution, b. f = 1 / T
answer) f = 1 / 0.4 s
a = v2 / r f = 2.5 Hz
a = (40 m/s)2 / 130 m 8.
2
a = 12.3 m/s a. +2 points, equation and answer
f=1/T
2. +4 points (equation, algebraic f = 1 / 6.2 s
manipulation, substitution, answer) f = 0.16 Hz
a = v2 / r b. +3 points (equation, substitution,
v2 = a r answer)
v2 = 9.5 m/s2 12.4 m v=2πrf
v = 10.9 m/s v = 2 π 15 m 0.16 Hz
v = 15.1 m/s
3. +4 points (equation, algebraic c. +3 points (equation, substitution,
manipulation, substitution, answer) answer)
a = v2 / r a = v2 / r
r = v2 / a a = (15.1 m/s)2 / 15 m
r = (8.8 m/s)2 / 20 m/s2 a = 15.2 m/s2
r = 3.9 m d. +3 points (equation, substitution,
answer)
4. +4 points (equation, algebraic ΣF = m a
manipulation, substitution, answer) ΣF = 34 kg 15.2m/s2
ΣF = m v2 / r ΣF = 517 N
ΣF = 14 kg (19 m/s)2 / 4.2 m 9.
ΣF = 1203 N a. +2 points, equation and answer
T=1/f
5. +4 points (equation, algebraic T = 1 / 7 Hz
manipulation, substitution, answer) T = 0.14 s
ΣF = m v2 / r b. +3 points (equation, substitution,
v2 = ΣF r / m answer)
v2 = 17 N 31 m / 6 kg v=2πrf
v = 9.4 m/s v = 2 π 5.8 m 7 Hz
v = 255 m/s
6. +4 points (equation, algebraic c. +3 points (equation, substitution,
manipulation, substitution, answer) answer)
ΣF = m v2 / r a = v2 / r
r = m v2 / Σ F a = (255 m/s)2 / 5.8 m
r = 2.45 kg (52 m/s)2 / 66 N a = 11,211 m/s2
r = 100 m d. +3 points (equation, substitution,
answer)
7. +4 points (equation and answer for a ΣF = m a
and b) ΣF = 0.95 kg 11,211 m/s2
a. T = t / n ΣF = 10,651 N
T = 8 s / 20 cycles
 T = 0.4 s
Smith
Uniform Circular Motion
PSI Physics Name________________________________

Multiple Choice– Choose the correct answer for each question. No partial credit will be given.

1. When an object experiences uniform circular motion, the direction of the net force is
A) in the same direction as the motion of the object.
B) in the opposite direction of the motion of the object.
C) is directed toward the center of the circular path.
D) is directed away from the center of the circular path.

2. Consider a particle moving with constant speed such that its acceleration of constant
magnitude is always perpendicular to its velocity.
A) It is moving in a straight line.
B) It is moving in a circle.
C) It is moving in a parabola.
D) None of the above is definitely true all of the time.

3. An object travels in a circular path of radius r at a constant speed v. What happens to the
object’s acceleration if the radius of the circle is doubled and the speed stays unchanged?
A) It doubles
B) It quadruples
C) It is cut to a half
D) It is cut to a quarter

4. An object moves in a circular path at a constant speed. Compare the direction of the
object's velocity and acceleration vectors.
A) Both vectors point in the same direction.
B) The vectors point in opposite directions.
C) The vectors are perpendicular.
D) The question is meaningless, since the acceleration is zero.

5. A pilot executes a vertical dive then follows a semi-circular arc until it is going straight up.
Just as the plane is at its lowest point, the force on him is (HINT: make a drawing of the
problem)
A) less than mg, and pointing up.
B) less than mg, and pointing down.
C) more than mg, and pointing up.
D) more than mg, and pointing down.

6. A car goes around a curve of radius r at a constant speed v. What is the direction of the net
force on the car?
A) toward the curve's center
B) away from the curve's center
C) toward the front of the car
D) toward the back of the car
7. *A car goes around a curve of radius r at a constant speed v. Then it goes around the same
curve at half of the original speed. What is the centripetal force on the car as it goes around
the curve for the second time, compared to the first time?
A) twice as big
B) four times as big
C) half as big
D) one-fourth as big

8. If the period of an object’s motion is doubled, the frequency of its motion will be
A) twice as big
B) four times as big
C) half as big
D) one-fourth as big

9. *As you go over a hill in your car, your apparent weight will:
A) be less than your normal weight
B) be equal to your normal weight
C) be greater than your normal weight
D) less than or greater than your normal weight, depending on your velocity