Centripetal Acceleration with infinite Radius?

In summary, centripetal acceleration with infinite radius is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path with a radius that is infinitely large. The formula for calculating this acceleration is a = v^2/r, where a is the acceleration, v is the speed of the object, and r is the radius of the circle. This type of acceleration is significant in understanding circular motion and the forces acting on an object, as well as the fact that an object moving in a circular path will continue to do so at a constant speed without an external force. It differs from centripetal acceleration with a finite radius in that it has a value of zero, while the latter has a non-zero value that decreases as the radius increases. Although it
  • #1
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Centripetal Acceleration with infinite Radius??

Homework Statement



Find centripetal acceleration given speed is 38m/s and radius is infinity large




The Attempt at a Solution



So The answer would get infinitely smaller so is zero the best answer?
 
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  • #2


I would say so, but usually even if it was considered infinitely large it would still have a centripetal acceleration e.g. r = 40 km.

However, how the question states it, r→ ∞ so v2/r → 0.
 

FAQ: Centripetal Acceleration with infinite Radius?

1. What is centripetal acceleration with infinite radius?

Centripetal acceleration with infinite radius is the acceleration experienced by a body moving along a circular path when the radius of the circle is infinitely large. This means that the body is moving at a constant speed and is not changing its direction.

2. How is centripetal acceleration with infinite radius calculated?

The formula for calculating centripetal acceleration with infinite radius is a = v^2/r, where a is the acceleration, v is the speed of the object, and r is the radius of the circle. However, in this case, as the radius is infinitely large, the acceleration value will be zero.

3. What is the significance of centripetal acceleration with infinite radius?

Centripetal acceleration with infinite radius is significant because it helps us understand the concept of circular motion and the forces acting on a body moving in a circular path. It also helps us understand that in the absence of an external force, an object moving in a circular path will continue to move at a constant speed.

4. How does centripetal acceleration with infinite radius differ from centripetal acceleration with a finite radius?

Centripetal acceleration with infinite radius differs from centripetal acceleration with a finite radius as the former has a value of zero while the latter has a non-zero value. This is because as the radius of the circle gets larger, the centripetal acceleration becomes smaller, and as the radius approaches infinity, the acceleration approaches zero.

5. Can centripetal acceleration with infinite radius be observed in real-life situations?

No, centripetal acceleration with infinite radius cannot be observed in real-life situations as there is no actual object or force acting with an infinitely large radius. However, this concept can be applied to situations where the radius is very large, and the effects of centripetal acceleration can be observed.

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