Question

An unbalanced force of 40. newtons keeps a
5.0-kilogram object traveling in a circle of radius
2.0 meters. What is the speed of the object?
(1) 8.0 m/s (3) 16 m/s
(2) 2.0 m/s (4) 4.0 m/s

Answer 1

This can be answered using the formula of centripetal force. In the given problem, the centripetal force (40 N), mass (5 kg), radius (2 m) are all named, except for the speed. The formula is shown below:

F = mv^2 / r

Substituting the given values:

40 N = 5kg(v^2) / 2
80 = 5 * v^2
v^2 = 16
v = 4

Therefore, the correct answer is 4.0 m/s (4).