Question

A 50 kg object moves at 50 m/s around a circular path of radius 10m. What centripetal force is needed to keep it in its orbit? What is the centripetal acceleration of the object?

Answer 1

The centripetal force needed to keep it in its orbit is

$$F_c=mv^2/r=12500\text{ N}.$$

The centripetal acceleration:

$$a_c=v^2/r=250\text{ m/s}^2.$$