Question

A particle goes round a circular path with uniform speed v. After describing half the circle, what is the change in its centripetal acceleration?

Options

• `("v"^2)/"r"`

• `(2"v"^2)/"r"`

• `(2"v"^2)/(pi"r")`

• `("v"^2)/(pi"r")`

Answer 1

`(2"v"^2)/"r"`

Explanation:

In half a circle, the direction of acceleration is reversed.

`("v"^2)/"r"` to `("-v"^2)/"r"`

Hence, change in centripetal acceleration

= `("v"^2)/"r"` - `(("-v"^2)/"r")` = `(2"v"^2)/"r"`