What is the circumference of the track?

[Brittykitty]

A student runs at a speed of 8.50 m/s on a circular track. If she accelerates a 1.03 m/s2, what is the circumference of the track?


8.5m/s*1.03m/s?

 

[AEM]

The wording of the problem implies that the velocity of the girl is a constant and therefore the acceleration referred to is centripetal acceleration. There is a nice equation that expresses the relationship between radial acceleration (centripetal acceleration), velocity and the radius for motion in a circle. So all you need to do is use that to find the radius and use $C = 2 \pi r$ to compute the radius.

 

[Brittykitty]

Thanks! :) so it would be:

2(3.142)14?

 

[AEM]

Thanks! :) so it would be:

2(3.142)14?

No, I don't get that at all. The equation I have in mind is $a = \frac{v^2}{r}$. That will allow you to calculate r.

 

[AEM]

That's a v squared. It doesn't come out on my computer screen.