Question

A 70.0 kg astronaut is training for accelerations that he will experience upon reentry. He is placed in a centrifuge (r = 10.0 m) and spun at a constant angular velocity of 16.3 rpm. Answer the following:
a. What is the angular velocity of the centrifuge in rad/s?
b. What is the linear velocity of the astronaut at the outer edge of the centrifuge?
c. What is the centripetal acceleration of the astronaut at the end of the centrifuge?
d. How many g’s does the astronaut experience?
e. What is the centripetal force and net torque experienced by the astronaut? Give magnitudes and directions.

Answer 1

do you need help with all of these or specific ones?

Answer 2

I have calculated the answers to all but the second question on E. if Someone could check them that would be great!
a. What is the angular velocity of the centrifuge in rad/s? \[1.17rad/s\]
b. What is the linear velocity of the astronaut at the outer edge of the centrifuge?\[17.1m/s\]
c. What is the centripetal acceleration of the astronaut at the end of the centrifuge?\[29.21m/s ^{2}\]
d. How many g’s does the astronaut experience?\[2.98g's\]
e. What is the centripetal force and net torque experienced by the astronaut? Give magnitudes and directions.\[2044.7N\]
ok, I've totally confused my self on this... the first part of the question says it has a CONSTANT velocity of 16.3 rpm but in question C you have to find the Centripetal acceleration. (on a side note, the constant velocity might mean that the centripetal acceleration is zero) but at a constant velocity there is no net Torque sooo is or isn't there net torque and how do I find it. I am utterly confused

Answer 3

a and b are good

Answer 4

so everything you have so far looks good

Answer 5

the definition is of torque is\[T=rxF\]

Answer 6

in the first part you calculated the centripetal force so that equation and the force to find the torque

Answer 7

but if the velocity is constant would there be any torque?

Answer 8

If velocity is constant there is no torque but you are forgetting something important. It does have constant angular velocity and yes it has constant tangential velocity but in order for something to be moving in a circle it must under go centripetal acceleration

Answer 9

so the answer to your question is yes but in this context you are asking the wrong question because our concern is not the angular velocity it is the acceleration caused by the centripetal force which is causing the torque we are looking for

Answer 10

my brain hurts

Answer 11

the easy way to think about this is find something with a string near you like say headphones

Answer 12

start spinning it in a circle at a constant speed

Answer 13

notice how you are pulling on it to keep it in a constant motion (if there is nothing that it could break) release your grip and watch how it just flies off because you are no longer applying any force on it

Answer 14

now in a vacuum it would keep constant speed but you have air in your room so it is going to slow down but the point is that it will maintain the speed it had when it was rotation but it is just no longer moving in a circle

Answer 15

ok, I finally understand! thank you sooo much!!

Answer 16

you're welcome