Answer:
15.7 mi/s²
Explanation:
The plane moves at constant speed, so its tangential acceleration is zero. The plane moves along a circular path, so its centripetal acceleration (ac) can be found from the square of the speed (v) divided by the radius (r). The radius of the path isn't given. However, we can calculate the arc length (s) from the speed and time, then use the angle (θ) in radians to find the radius.
The arc length is:
s = vt
s = (200 mi/s) (20 s)
s = 4000 mi
The turn is 90°, or π/2 radians. Therefore, the radius is:
s = rθ
4000 mi = r (π/2 rad)
r = 8000/π mi
r ≈ 2546 mi
Finally, the centripetal acceleration of the plane is:
ac = v² / r
ac = (200 mi/s)² / (2546 mi)
ac = 15.7 mi/s²
