Question Detail
Question
An object is moving in a circle at a constant speed. If the radius of the circle is suddenly halved but the speed remains the same, by what factor does the centripetal acceleration change?
Correct Answer
Option C is the correct answer.
Detailed Explanation
Centripetal acceleration a = v²/r. If v is constant, a is inversely proportional to r. If r is halved (becomes r/2), then a becomes v²/(r/2) = 2v²/r, which is twice the original value.
Hint
Consider the formula a = v²/r. What happens to a fraction when you make its denominator smaller?