To calculate centripetal acceleration for a point on a grinding wheel, the formula Ac = v^2 / r is used, where v is tangential velocity and r is the radius. The wheel's angular speed of 12.0 rad/s needs to be converted to tangential velocity using the relationship v = ωr. For a point 0.100 m from the center, the correct formula for centripetal acceleration is Ac = ω^2r, which gives a result of 14.4 m/s² when calculated correctly. The initial miscalculation of 1440 was due to using angular velocity directly instead of converting it to tangential velocity. Understanding the distinction between angular and tangential quantities is crucial for solving such problems accurately.