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jsmith613
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Homework Statement
Downward force is used to keep a car in contact with the track. The motion through the air produces a force ppd to direction of travel pushing the car ONTO the track. A racing car of mass 720 kg takes an unbanked corner of radius 550 m at a speed of 50 m/s
The max frictional force is 0.4*(reaction from track).
Calculate the downward force necessary to prevent the car from skidding outward.
Could someone please assist me in the drawing of a free body diagram
Homework Equations
The Attempt at a Solution
So at the moment I know that the:
R = mg + D (as the car does not rise above the track)
thus the free body diagram would have R up and (mg + D) down
assuming the track curves like this: ( (
which direction will the frictional force act in, this is the final puzzle to the problem :S
I would have said it acts towards the OUTER part of the track but the car needs to move in a circle and the only force providing centripetal acceleration appears to be friction
any help is greatly appreciated