What is radial acceleration?

Radial acceleration is the acceleration experienced by an object moving in a circular path. It is directed towards the center of the circle and is responsible for changing the direction of the object's velocity. The magnitude of the radial acceleration can be calculated using the formula:

a[r] = v^2 / r

Where:

• a[r] is the radial acceleration
• v is the velocity of the object
• r is the radius of the circular path

Radial acceleration is not considered a true acceleration in the sense of changing the speed of an object, but rather it changes the direction of the object's velocity. It is an important concept in understanding circular motion, such as the motion of planets around the sun or cars on a curved track.