Tangential acceleration - unknown term

In summary, a man walking on a turntable with radial velocity v and angular velocity w experiences a tangential component of acceleration equal to r*alpha + 2wv. This value includes the contribution of the Coriolis force, which causes objects to appear to deviate from their path due to the rotation of the reference frame.
  • #1
LCattell
2
0

Homework Statement



A man walks steadily outwards on a turntable (radius r) with radial velocity v. The turntable rotates with angular velocity w and angular acceleration alpha (anti-clockwise). What is the tangential component of acceleration?

Homework Equations



radial acceleration = -rw^2
tangential acceleration = r*alpha

The Attempt at a Solution



The answer given for the tangential acceleration is (r*alpha)+(2wv)
I understand the r*alpha bit, but could someone please enlighten me as to what the 2wv part refers to?

Thanks very much

LC
 
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  • #2
Have you learned about Coriolis force?
 
  • #3
I thought that Coriolis was where an object appeared to deviate from its path. How is it related to this problem?
 

What is tangential acceleration?

Tangential acceleration is the rate of change of tangential velocity, which is the component of velocity that is tangent to the circular path of an object's motion. It is a measure of how quickly an object's tangential speed is changing.

How is tangential acceleration calculated?

Tangential acceleration can be calculated by dividing the change in tangential velocity by the change in time. It can also be calculated by multiplying the angular acceleration (rate of change of angular velocity) by the radius of the circular path.

What is the difference between tangential acceleration and centripetal acceleration?

Tangential acceleration is the rate of change of tangential velocity, while centripetal acceleration is the acceleration towards the center of the circular path. Tangential acceleration is responsible for changes in tangential velocity, while centripetal acceleration is responsible for keeping an object moving in a circular path.

What factors affect tangential acceleration?

The factors that affect tangential acceleration include the object's tangential velocity, the angular acceleration, and the radius of the circular path. In addition, any external forces acting on the object can also affect tangential acceleration.

Why is tangential acceleration important?

Tangential acceleration is important because it helps us understand the motion of objects moving in circular paths. It is also a key component in calculating the total acceleration of an object and is necessary for accurately predicting an object's future position and velocity.

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