Question

Peregrine falcons are known for their maneuvering ability. In a tight circular turn, a falcon can attain a centripetal acceleration 1.5 times the free-fall acceleration. What is the radius of the turn if the falcon is flying at 17 m/s ?

Answer 1

Answer:

19.7 m

Explanation:

The centripetal acceleration of the falcon is given by

$a=\frac{v^2}{r}$

where

a is the acceleration

v is the speed

r is the radius of the circular path

In this problem, we have:

$a=1.5 g = 1.5(9.8)=14.7 m/s^2$ is the acceleration

v = 17 m/s is the speed

Solving for r, we find the radius of the turn:

$r=\frac{v^2}{a}=\frac{17^2}{14.7}=19.7 m$