Circular Motion (not just uniform!)

Compute accelerations around a track

You drive a go-cart around a go cart track, consisting of two arcs (radii shown on diagram) connected by two straight segments as shown.

  1. You drive at a constant 5.0 m/s. What is your acceleration (size and direction) at points W, X, Y, and Z?
  2. Your friend is more adventurous. She drives the small arc at 5.0 m/s, then accelerates on the lower straight segment from 5 m/s to 15 m/s, which takes 5.0 s, drives the large arc at 15 m/s, and then gradually slows back to 10.0 m/s along the top straight segment. Find the acceleration (size and direction) for the points W, X, Y, and Z for your friend.