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Circus | Physics: Centripetal Acceleration

Trick riders may just ride in circles, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t accelerating. Moving in a circle requires steady changes in direction. This is a form of acceleration directed inward, with a magnitude that depends on the velocity of the horse and rider and the radius of the circle. This is the same acceleration that we feel when going around bends in a car, and that holds us in our seat on the roller-coaster. This unit uses trick riding to show students the basics of circular motion.

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