A body weighing 188N moves with a speed of 5m/s in a horizontal circular path of radius 5m. Calculate the magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the body
Question
Question
A body weighing 188N moves with a speed of 5m/s in a horizontal circular path of radius 5m. Calculate the magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the body
The centripetal acceleration a of the body is
a = v ² / R
where
• v = tangential speed of the body
• R = radius of the circle
Substituting these into the acceleration gives
a = v ² / R = (5 m/s)² / (5 m)
a = 5 m/s²
We’re given the body’s weight W = 188 N, so its mass is m = W / g. Use Newton’s second law to get the magnitude of the centripetal force:
F = m a = (W / g) a ≈ (188 N) / (9.80 m/s²) (5 m/s²)
F ≈ 95.9 N