Question

An aircraft executes a horizontal loop of radius 1km with a steady speed of 900 km/h.Compare its centripetal acceleration with acceleration due to gravity?

Answer 1

Radius of circular path is, r = 1 km = 1000 m

Speed of the aircraft is, v = 900 km/h = 900 × 5/18 = 250 m/s

So, the centripetal acceleration is, a = v²/r = 250²/1000 = 62.5 m/s²

While the acceleration due to gravity is, g = 9.8 m/s²

Now, a/g = 6.37

Thus, the centripetal acceleration is 6.37 times the acceleration due to gravity of the earth.