Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path. It is always directed towards the center of the circle and its magnitude depends on the speed of the object and the radius of the circle.
Centripetal acceleration is caused by a force called centripetal force. This force is responsible for pulling an object towards the center of the circle and keeping it in its circular path. It can be provided by various sources such as tension, gravity, or friction.
The formula for calculating centripetal acceleration is a = v²/r, where a is the centripetal acceleration, v is the speed of the object, and r is the radius of the circle. This formula can also be written as a = ω²r, where ω is the angular velocity of the object.
Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration towards the center of the circle, while centrifugal force is the apparent outward force experienced by an object moving in a circular path. Centrifugal force is not a real force, it is a result of the inertia of the object trying to keep it moving in a straight line.
Some common examples of centripetal acceleration are the motion of a satellite around the Earth, the rotation of a Ferris wheel, and the movement of a car around a curved track. It can also be observed in the circular motion of planets around the sun and the rotation of the Earth on its axis.