Question
A cyclist is riding with a speed of 27 km/h. As he approaches a circular turn on the road of radius 80 m, he applies brakes and reduces his speed at the constant rate of 0.5 m/s every second. What is the magnitude and direction of the net acceleration of the cyclist on the circular turn?
Solution
Given here,
Speed of the cyclist, v = 27 km/h = 7.5m/s
Radius of the circular tun on the road, r = 80 m
Therefore the centripetal acceleration of the cyclist at the moment when velocity is 7.5 m/s is,
When brakes are applied, the speed is decreased at the rate of 0.5m/s every second.
Therefore the tangential acceleration is,
Therefore the total acceleration of the cyclist is,
