Centripetal Acceleration Calculator

Centripetal acceleration calculator helps you in calculating centripetal acceleration if the velocity of the body and radius of the circle is given. It will give you a step-by-step process as well.

This calculator can also be used to calculate radius and velocity.

What is centripetal acceleration?

Due to its direction, centripetal acceleration is also known as radial acceleration. The definition of centripetal acceleration is stated below.

“Centripetal acceleration is a property of the motion of a body traversing a circular path.”

The acceleration is directed radially toward the center of the circle and has a magnitude equal to the square of the body’s speed along the curve divided by the distance from the center of the circle to the moving body.

Centripetal acceleration formula

The equation used for calculating the value of centripetal acceleration:

 a_c = v²/r

In this equation:

V is centripetal velocity,

r is radius.

How to calculate centripetal acceleration?

Example:

A car is moving in a circle of a radius of 20 meters at the velocity of 10 meters per second. What is the centripetal acceleration of the car?

Solution:

Step 1: Identify the values:

V = 10 m/s

r = 20 m

Step 2: Put the values in the formula of centripetal acceleration:

a_c = v²/r

a_c = 10²/20

= 5 m/s²