Accelerating Car Free Body Diagram

In summary, the conversation was about identifying all the forces acting on an object and drawing a free-body diagram. The person was struggling with a homework question where they had to draw force vectors from a dot representing a car accelerating to the right. They were unsure of the correct orientation and length of the arrows, and tried different configurations without success. Suggestions were given to align the friction and drag arrows in the same direction and consider the possibility of the car being on an inclined plane.
  • #1
1skypilot
2
0

Homework Statement



Identify all forces acting on the object and draw the free-body diagram.
Draw the force vectors with their tails at the dot. The orientation of your vectors will be graded. The exact length of your vectors will not be graded but the relative length of one to the other will be graded.

Your car is accelerating to the right from a stop.

Homework Equations



free body diagram

The Attempt at a Solution



I don't know how to upload the images on here...

Basically, I'm using a homework physics program and it's not accepting any of my answers. All of the questions on it are similar to this and so far I've gotten them all wrong on my first attempt.

For this particular question, I have four force arrows: normal, weight, drag, and friction and a black dot in the center of a screen. I have to draw the force arrows from the dot.

I had the normal force moving in the upward direction, the weight force moving in the downward direction, the friction force moving to the right and the drag arrow moving to the left. I had all the arrows at relatively, the same length.

I'm so stumped, I don't know what to fix...

Thank you!
 
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  • #2
The only thing that I can think of is that the arrows for friction and drag should both be in the same direction, against the acceleration of the car. Also, if the car is on an inclined plane, the arrow for the normal force would be perpendicular to the plane rather than directly against gravity.
 
  • #3
I tried putting the friction and drag arrows in the same direction, to the left, but that was wrong apparently. The car is not indicated to be on a plane.

Thank you though!
 

1. What is an accelerating car free body diagram?

An accelerating car free body diagram is a visual representation of all the forces acting on a car as it accelerates. It shows the magnitude and direction of each force, including gravity, friction, and the force produced by the car's engine.

2. Why is it important to use an accelerating car free body diagram?

An accelerating car free body diagram allows scientists to analyze the forces acting on a car and understand how they affect the car's motion. This can help identify any potential issues or improvements in the car's design.

3. How is an accelerating car free body diagram different from a regular car free body diagram?

An accelerating car free body diagram includes an additional force, the force produced by the car's engine, which is responsible for the car's acceleration. A regular car free body diagram only shows the forces acting on a car while it is at a constant velocity or at rest.

4. What are some common mistakes to avoid when creating an accelerating car free body diagram?

One common mistake is to forget to include all the forces acting on the car, such as air resistance. Another mistake is to draw the forces with incorrect magnitudes or directions, which can lead to incorrect analysis of the car's motion.

5. How can an accelerating car free body diagram be used to improve a car's performance?

An accelerating car free body diagram can be used to identify any unbalanced forces acting on the car, which can cause it to accelerate or decelerate. By understanding these forces, engineers can make adjustments to the car's design to improve its performance and efficiency.

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