Question

The 20G Centrifuge of NASA at its Ames Research Center has a radius of 29 feet and can create an artificial gravity on a person in the device up to twenty times of the actual weight of the person. What is its spinning speed in term of revolutions per minute (rpm) when producing the maximum artificial gravity?

Answer 1

Artificial Gravity = 20 * 9.8 m/s^2 = 196 m/s^2
Radius = 29 feet = 8.84 m

A = v^2/r
v^2 = A * r
V^2 = 196 * 8.84
V = sqrt(1732) m/s
V = 41.62 m/s

Spinning speed in term of revolutions per minute = V * rpm

Distance travelled in 1 revolution = 2* pi * r
Distance travelled in 1 revolution = 2 * 3.14 * 8.84 = 55.5 m

Time taken for 1 revolution = 55.5 / 41.62 = 1.33 s
No of Revolution in 1 min = 60/1.33 = 45

Spinning speed in term of revolutions per minute = 45 rpm