- #1
seanpk92
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Homework Statement
A pilot flies an airplane in a vertical circular loop with a radius of R = 1200 m. The plane is gaining speed as the pilot makes a dive, and its speed is measured to be 150 m/s when the plane reaches the bottom of the circle. If the total acceleration of the plane at the bottom is 2.3g, find (a) the tangential acceleration of the plane, (b) the direction of the plane’s acceleration at the bottom of the loop.
Homework Equations
What I can think of doing, is:
an=v2/R
and
a = an + at
The Attempt at a Solution
I tried making a free body diagram with the total force and an pointing toward the center, and the v and the at point to the right. At the bottom of the circle.
an = 1502/1200 = 18.75m/s2
a = 2.3g = 2.3/9.8m/s2 = 0.2346m/s2
but this doesn't give me my answer. The answer is (a) 12.5 m/s2 and (b) beta = 56.3o
(i don't know how to do a, so I can't start b)