The object’s motion in a circular path pointed towards the center of the circular path keeps on changing in velocity and provides centripetal acceleration. Here we give a list of centripetal acceleration examples.
- The motion of the satellite around the earth
- Planetary motion
- A runner running around an oval track
- The motion of the motorbike around the circular path
- Roller coaster ride in a loop
- Yo-yo around a circle
- Cloth swirling in the washing machine
- A whirling stone
- Tetherball
- A discus throw
- Turning a car in a curved path
- Ride in a merry-go-round
- Ferris wheel
- Twirling a lasso
- Spinning basketball on finger
- Salad spinner
- Electron revolving around the nucleus
- The moon orbiting around the earth
- Industrial centrifuge device
Detailed Explanation of centripetal acceleration examples
An object moving on a circular orbit is said to be in centripetal acceleration when the acceleration of that object is concentrated towards its center of rotation. The centripetal acceleration is a constant scalar quantity; even though its magnitude remains constant, there will be a regular change in the direction due to the position of the object changing. This section gives a brief explanation regarding the above-listed centripetal acceleration examples.
The motion of the satellite around the earth
Satellites can efficiently revolve around the earth due to centripetal acceleration. The satellites are largely influenced by the earth’s gravity which is constantly pulling the orbiting satellite towards the center of the earth’s gravity which causes the satellite to achieve centripetal acceleration.
Image credits: Wikimedia commons
Planetary motion
All planets trace a circular path to revolve around the sun, which is one of the excellent centripetal acceleration examples. While revolving around the sun, the acceleration of all the planets concentrated towards the center due to the exertion of mutual gravitational attraction between the planet and the sun.
Image credits: Wikimedia commons
A runner running around an oval track
When a runner runs on an oval track, his speed is influenced by the earth’s spin, and thus, his acceleration is pointed towards the center of the circular path. The friction evolved between the shoe of the runner and the track is also one of the reasons for possessing the centripetal acceleration.
The motion of the motorbike around the circular path
In order to trace a circular path by a motorbike, centripetal force is essential, which is provided by the friction between the tire and the road. The centripetal force thus generated contributes to the exertion of centripetal acceleration on the circular path, where the acceleration of the motorbike is concentrated towards the center.
Roller coaster ride in a loop
During the roller coaster ride, the passenger inside the coaster experiences the centripetal acceleration when the coaster enters the loop. The loop of the roller coaster is constructed in the shape of a teardrop, such that the coaster can trace a circular path. As soon as the coaster enters the loop, the acceleration of the coaster is pointed towards the center so that even when the ride turns upside down, the riders in the coaster can be seated in their respective position.
Image credits: Wikimedia commons
Yo-yo around a circle
The swinging of the yo-yo is one of the best ways to explain the centripetal acceleration examples. When the yo-yo is twirled, the yo-yo strings create tension, which is responsible for keeping the yo-yo in a circular path. This makes the yo-yo attain centripetal acceleration, and centripetal force keeps them to be in the circular path.
Cloth swirling in the washing machine
As soon as the washing machine is turned on, the drum exerts a rotator motion which is transferred to the clothes inside the machine; thus, the clothes swirl in a circular path in the machine. The swirling acceleration of the clothes is concentrated towards the center of their circular path.
A whirling stone
When a stone is tied with a string and made to rotate then above your head in a circular path, the acceleration of the stone while it is whirling is one of the excellent centripetal acceleration examples. The force from your hand creates the tension in the string, which supplies sufficient force to the stone whirl over your head. The gravitational is also provides sufficient force for stone to be concentrated towards the center possessing centripetal acceleration.
Tetherball
The motion of the tetherball is directed by the two forces which equally contribute to the ball acquiring centripetal acceleration. The ball moves more rapidly in a circular path if the centripetal force is more which in turn requires more tension.
A discus throw
Have you ever watched discus throw in the Olympics? If yes, did you know that throwing a discus is one of the very good centripetal acceleration examples?
Yes, when the athlete is ready for discus throw, he constantly rotates his head with the discus around him. By that time, centripetal force is generated on the discus. If he throws the discus properly, it attains acceleration by increasing its velocity with his body. The acceleration of the discus is pointed to the center of the path it has traced while in the hand of the athlete; thus; thus it can attain peak velocity as soon as it is released.
Turning a car in a curved path
Turning a car on a curved road requires centripetal force to be exerted. The friction acting between the tire and the road causes this centripetal force on the car, which enhances the centripetal acceleration while moving. The centripetal acceleration of the car is more in the sharp curves, i.e., circular path of a small radius. If the car does not acquire the centripetal acceleration, then there is a chance for the car to take a larger radius and leave the roadway.
Ride in a merry-go-round
The rider in the merry-go-round can experience the centripetal acceleration even though it has no angular acceleration because the entire acceleration experienced by the rider on the merry-go-round is pointed towards its axis of rotation. This acceleration is always parallel to the radius of its circular path and is often referred to as “radial acceleration.”
Ferris wheel
The physics behind the Ferris wheel is directly based on the centripetal acceleration. The passenger in the Ferris wheel can feel heavier or lighter depending on their position due to centripetal acceleration. The passenger seat of the wheel is always pivoted freely from the rim and directed downward even though the wheel spins.
Twirling a lasso
While twirling a lasso, the cowboy rotates the lasso in a circular orbit, creating a sufficient amount of tension in the lasso, which contributes to generating centripetal force to rotate the lasso in a circular motion. This centripetal force governs the centripetal acceleration of the lasso.
Spinning basketball on finger
When you spin a basketball on your finger, it rotates with the centripetal acceleration due to a change in the angular velocity caused by the centripetal force. The centripetal acceleration is more when the ball is at its high speed.
Salad spinner
The centripetal acceleration exerted on the salad spinner is similar to the washing machine. The outer wall of the spinner exerts a centripetal force on the lettuce that pushes them towards the center of rotation; thus, the acceleration of the salad spinner is directed towards the center resulting in centripetal acceleration.
Electron revolving around the nucleus
Like the solar system, the nucleus in an atom is at the center, and all the electrons revolve around the nucleus in a circular orbit. Some positive charges surround the nucleus, and along with the negatively charged electron, an electrostatic force is developed inside the nucleus, which is intended to provide centripetal force for the electron to sustain the revolution around the nucleus, which enhances the centripetal acceleration.
Image credits: Wikimedia commons
The moon orbiting around the earth
The moon is the earth’s natural satellite which tends to retain in the circular motion around the earth. The earth’s gravitational attraction on the moon is responsible for the generation of centripetal force, which is sufficient for the moon to exert centripetal acceleration to orbiting around the earth.
Industrial centrifuge device
Industrial centrifuge devices are often related to centripetal acceleration. This device spins liquid in the test tube at high speed and generates a centripetal force that enhances the liquid’s centripetal acceleration inside the device. This technique separates a mixture of two different liquid samples of different densities. If the centripetal acceleration is high, then it is easy to separate the samples.
Two different layers of liquid settle in the test tube after centrifugation. The centripetal acceleration thus generated in the centrifuge device is relative to the acceleration due to gravity.
Also Read:
- Acceleration in special relativity
- How to find acceleration with angle and coefficient of kinetic friction
- How to find the acceleration
- How to find gravitational acceleration
- How to find total acceleration
- How to find acceleration in a pulley system
- Free fall acceleration of a planet
- Centripetal acceleration vs acceleration
- Ways to find acceleration
- How to find gravitational acceleration without mass
I am Keerthi K Murthy, I have completed post graduation in Physics, with the specialization in the field of solid state physics. I have always consider physics as a fundamental subject which is connected to our daily life. Being a science student I enjoy exploring new things in physics. As a writer my goal is to reach the readers with the simplified manner through my articles.