The Centripetal Acceleration calculator computes the centripetal acceleration
Circular Motion which is the acceleration directed toward the center of a circular motion with constant angular velocity.
INSTRUCTION: Choose units and enter the following:
- |v| - magnitude of the tangential velocity
- (r) - radius of the constant circular motion
Magnitude of Centripetal Acceleration |a|: The calculator the acceleration in meters per second squared. However, the user can automatically convert this to other acceleration units via the pull-down menu.
The Math / Science
Note than if a mass is moving in this circular motion and is affected by this acceleration due to changing angular velocity, that mass will feel a force along the vector direction of `vec(a_"rad")`.
The formula for the magnitude of acceleration in uniform circular motion is:
`|a| = |v|^2/r`
where:
- a = acceleration in uniform circular motion.
- v = magnitude of tangential velocity
- r = radius of circular motion
Other Circular Motion Functions
- Angular Frequency as a function of orbital period,CLICK HERE.
- Speed of Circular Motion as a function of orbital period and radius, CLICK HERE.
- Radial Acceleration as a function of orbital period and radius, CLICK HERE.
- Acceleration in non-uniform Circular Motion, CLICK HERE.
References
- Light and Matter(Dr. Benjamin Crowell) Chapter 9.2 Uniform circular motion
- Light and Matter(Dr. Benjamin Crowell) Chapter 9.3 Non-uniform circular motion