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accesskb
Dec14-03, 05:57 PM
Hi I'm doing a lab report on centripetal acceleration and we are asked to find the centripetal acceleration using 2 formulas.
(1)Acceleration Centripetal=Force Centripetal/Mass

(2)Acceleration Centripetal=Velocity^2/Radius

I get answers that are very close but I also have to answer the question (Which value of Acceleration Centripetal would be considered more accurate? ie: which formula would be more accurate?)

hope someone can help me out here. thanks

Integral
Dec14-03, 07:52 PM
The formulas should yield the same "accuracy". The difference will be in your ability to measure. Which of your measurements are the most accurate?

accesskb
Dec14-03, 07:58 PM
I get answers that are very very close. .625 for the first formula and .631 with the second formula

Integral
Dec14-03, 09:12 PM
What measurements did you make? How did you make them? What are the measurement errors?

You need to consider the answers to these questions in order to determine which of the given forumlas yield the best answer.