Centripetal Acceleration Calculator

About this calculator

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration directed toward the center of a circular path that keeps an object moving in that circle rather than flying off in a straight line, calculated as a = v² / r, where v is the object's speed and r is the radius of the circular path. It can equivalently be written as a = ω²r using angular velocity ω, and this calculator also expresses the result as a multiple of g (9.8 m/s²) for intuitive comparison.

Physics students, engineers, and ride designers use this formula to calculate the forces experienced in a car rounding a curve, a satellite in orbit, a centrifuge spinning a sample, or a passenger on a roller-coaster loop — amusement park engineers specifically check that centripetal acceleration (as "g-force") stays within safe and comfortable limits for riders. Enter the speed and radius to find the centripetal acceleration.