Two bodies of mass 10 kg and 5 kg moving in concentric orbits of radii R and r such that their periods are the same. Then the ratio between their centripetal acceleration is:
A
R/r
B
r/R
C
R2/r2
D
r2/R2
Step-by-Step Solution
Formula for Centripetal Acceleration: The centripetal acceleration (ac) of a body moving in a circular path of radius R with angular speed ω is given by ac=ω2R .
Angular Speed: The angular speed is related to the time period (T) by ω=T2π .
Application: Since both bodies have the same time period (T), they must have the same angular speed (ω).
For the first body: a1=ω2R For the second body: a2=ω2r
Ratio: Taking the ratio of their accelerations:
a2a1=ω2rω2R=rR.
Note that the centripetal acceleration depends only on the radius and angular speed (or period), and is independent of the mass of the body.
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