12.2 Centripetal Acceleration | CIE A Level Physics Topic Questions 2025

1a

2 marks

A centripetal force causes a centripetal acceleration.

State two properties of the centripetal force that is required for this.

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1b

4 marks

State the equation for centripetal acceleration.

[1]

State the definition and unit of each variable in part (i)

[3]

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1c

3 marks

Calculate the angular speed of a satellite in a geostationary orbit.

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1d

3 marks

The satellite has an altitude of 36 000 km.

Calculate the centripetal acceleration of the satellite.

Radius of Earth = 6400 km

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1a

4 marks

A ‘loop the loop’ is a vertical circular path. Fig. 1.1 shows a toy car of mass 70 g completing a ‘loop the loop’ which has a radius of 0.15 m.

Fig. 1.1

The car enters the loop with a speed of 2.0 m s^–1 and then undergoes a constant deceleration until it passes A with a speed of 1.21 m s^–1.

After A, the car undergoes a constant acceleration before leaving the loop with a speed of 2.0 m s^–1

(i)

Calculate the time taken for a car to complete the ‘loop the loop’.

(3)

(ii)

Sketch a speed-time graph for the journey through the loop. Mark the time to the nearest tenth of a second and indicate at which time the car passes position A.

(1)

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1b

4 marks

(i)

Describe the origin of the centripetal force that keeps the car on the track throughout the loop.

(2)

(ii)

Determine the minimum and maximum values of the reaction force experienced by the car as it makes its loop.

(2)

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1c

3 marks

For the journey through the loop, sketch a graph to show how the reaction force on the car varies with the angle rotated by the car around the loop.

Include the values for the maximum and minimum forces on the car.

Only show the general shape between these values.

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1d

4 marks

A student is investigating the energy changes in a ‘loop the loop’, as shown in Fig. 1.2.

They want to determine the minimum height, h, required for a toy car of mass m to complete a loop the loop of radius r, when starting from rest.

Fig. 1.2

Show that the minimum height, h is:

$h = \frac{5}{2} r$

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1a

2 marks

Two runners are running around a circular track. One runner follows path X and the other follows path Y, as shown in Fig. 1.1.

Fig 1.1

The radius of path X is 36.50 m. Path Y is parallel to, and 1.2 m outside, path X. Both runners have mass 75 kg. The maximum lateral (sideways) friction force F that the runners can experience without sliding is 57 mN.

Show that the maximum speed at which the runner on path Y can move is 0.17 m s^–1.

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1b

2 marks

Compare the centripetal acceleration and maximum speed of the runner on path X compared to path Y.

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1c

2 marks

Calculate the time taken for the runner in path X to complete 1 lap.

T = ............................. minutes

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1d

3 marks

The runner on path Y has an ankle injury that has come back with a vengeance, so it takes them twice as long to complete 1 lap.

Determine their new centripetal acceleration.

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Centripetal Acceleration (CIE A Level Physics)

Topic Questions