Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path. It is always directed towards the center of the circle and is responsible for keeping the object in its circular motion.
Centripetal acceleration can be calculated using the formula a = v^2/r, where a is the centripetal acceleration, v is the speed of the object, and r is the radius of the circular path.
The units of centripetal acceleration are meters per second squared (m/s^2). This is the standard unit for acceleration.
Yes, centripetal acceleration can be negative. This indicates that the object is slowing down and its velocity is changing in a direction opposite to its motion.
Some common examples of centripetal acceleration include a car rounding a curve, a satellite orbiting around Earth, and a ball spinning in a circle on a string. In all of these cases, a centripetal force is acting to keep the object moving in a circular path.