Uniform Circular Motion

[suspenc3]

An old streetcar rounds a flat corner of radius = 9.1m at 4.444 m/s.
What angle with the vertical will be made by the loosely hanging hand straps.

I dont really know what I am looking for, Can anyone Help?

[Päällikkö]

Start by drawing a diagram. What forces are acting on the hand straps? Think why the hand straps should form any angle with the vertical.

[suspenc3]

centripetal acceleration would act on the handstraps
a = vsquared/r

a=2.1m/s(squared)

is that all that acts on them

[Päällikkö]

Almost. What keeps the car (and the hand straps, and pretty much everything else) on ground? :smile:

[suspenc3]

Gravity ?

[Päällikkö]

Yep.
Now, the direction of the resultant force?

[suspenc3]

could i do this:

tan(theta) = 9.8m/s(squared) / 2.1m/s(squared

[Päällikkö]

Yes, but as the requested angle was the angle with the vertical (not horizontal), you should switch the forces' (accelerations', as mass cancels out) places.

[suspenc3]

ohhh..oops..thats what i meant in the first place

Thanks