Uniform circular motion - plane in a circular arc

  1. Dec 5, 2010 #1

    As a pilot comes out of a dive in a circular arc she experiences an upward acceleration of 9.0 gs (i.e. 9 x 9.8).

    a) Mentions that the Pilot's mass is 60 kg, already solved this

    b) If the speed of the plane is 330 km/h, what is the radius of the plane's arc?

    2. Relevant equations

    ac = v2/r
    Fnet = [tex]\Sigma[/tex]F

    3. The attempt at a solution

    No idea what to do because I can't figure out what is causing the centripetal acceleration.

    mv2/r = - mg

    I don't know the mass of the plane, and if I add another force which I assume would cause the centripetal acceleration then I have no way of calculating that either.
  2. jcsd
  3. Dec 5, 2010 #2


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    The upward acceleration the pilot experiences is directed towards the center of rotation, so you are given the centripetal acceleration.

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