Centripetal Acceleration Problem

Therefore, we have: In summary, a car weighing 1000 kg and traveling at 90.0 km/h on a flat highway encounters a curve with a radius of 150 m. The coefficient of friction between the tires and the road is 0.820. Using a free-body diagram and Newton's second law, it is determined that the maximum possible value of friction force is N*mu and the centripetal acceleration is a=v^2/r. Further calculations are needed to determine if the car can safely navigate the curve.
  • #1
Macroer
28
0

Homework Statement



A 1000 kg car is traveling along a flat section of the highway at a speed of 90.0 km/h. The driver notices a
curve in the road ahead, with a radius of 150 m.
a) If the pavement is dry and the coefficient of friction between the car tires and the road is 0.820,
determine if the car can safely navigate the curve. (4 pts.) (Hint, use centripetal force, normal force and frictional force to
see if it is possible to overcome the centripetal force with the frictional force.)

Homework Equations


[tex]F_{f}[/tex]=[tex]ma_{c}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


[tex]F_{f}[/tex]=[tex]ma_{c}[/tex]
umg=ma
(don't know where to go from there)
 
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  • #2
Start by drawing a free-body diagram and writing out Newton's second law for both the x and y directions.
 
  • #3
I uploaded the FBD


X direction:
Ff = ma

Y direction
Fnet=0;
Fg=Fn
Fn=mg
 

Attachments

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  • #4
Good. For the x direction, the maximum possible value of Ff is N*mu, and a=v^2/r (the centripetal acceleration).
 

What is centripetal acceleration?

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration that an object experiences when moving in a circular path. It always points towards the center of the circle and is caused by the centripetal force acting on the object.

How is centripetal acceleration calculated?

The formula for calculating centripetal acceleration is a = v^2/r, where a is the centripetal acceleration, v is the velocity of the object, and r is the radius of the circle.

What is the relationship between centripetal acceleration and centripetal force?

Centripetal acceleration and centripetal force are directly proportional to each other. This means that as the centripetal force increases, so does the centripetal acceleration, and vice versa.

What are some real-world applications of centripetal acceleration?

Centripetal acceleration is used in a variety of real-world situations, such as amusement park rides, satellite orbits, and the movement of cars on a curved road.

What happens to an object's centripetal acceleration if the radius of the circle increases?

If the radius of the circle increases, the centripetal acceleration decreases. This is because a larger radius means the object has to travel a greater distance in the same amount of time, resulting in a lower acceleration.

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