Centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering

In summary, when a car (or bike) turns, the car (bike) exerts an outward force (in the opposite direction of centripetal friction force) to stay in a circle.
  • #1
Mohamad
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1
According to the Newton's third law "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." When a car (or a bike) turns, How does the car (bike) exert force outward (in the opposite direction of centripetal friction force)?
 
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  • #2
For a car to move in a circle there must be some centripetal force, which through friction on the road is provided by electromagnetic interactions of the matter making up the Earth with the matter making up the car. Neglecting retardation to stay within the approximations of Newtonian physics, the 3rd Law (i.e., spatial translation invariance) implies that the car exerts an opposite force of equal magnitude on the Earth.
 
  • #3
Mohamad said:
How does a car (or a bike) exert force outward (in the opposite direction of centripetal friction force)?
Friction between two objects means two equal but opposite friction froces, each on one of the objects.
 
  • #4
A.T. said:
Friction between two objects means two equal but opposite friction froces, each on one of the objects.
I mean, that is counter-intuitive that when you turn the steering wheel, car exerts an outward force (perpendicular to the car) on the road.
 
  • #5
Mohamad said:
I mean, that is very counter-intuitive that when you turn the steering wheel, car exerts an outward force (perpendicular to the car) on the road.

Think of a football player that is avoiding a defender by making a quick change of direction. He digs in the side of his foot and pushes off in the opposite direction. The force of the shoe on ground compresses some dirt. The force of the ground on the shoe is what pushes him off. The interaction between the shoe and the ground is analogous to the tires and the street.
 
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  • #6
Mohamad said:
I mean, that is counter-intuitive that when you turn the steering wheel, car exerts an outward force (perpendicular to the car) on the road.
When you run over a rug, and try to make a turn, the rug can slide outwards if not fixed.
 
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  • #7
Mohamad said:
According to the Newton's third law "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." When a car (or a bike) turns, How does the car (bike) exert force outward (in the opposite direction of centripetal friction force)?

You can consider the force (action) and the opposite only considering the whole system, car and earth. The two forces give zero sum for the whole system.

At steering Earth will counter rotate, (if perfectly rigid body), but i will not even try to measure how much.
In reality Earth will counter rotate for the force remaining at net of all dissipative effect ending in heat (deformation of tires, asphalt, road substrate, dow to geology deformation..) i think close to zero.
The main forcesarise from there mechanical effects, outside the car.

maybe a more clear situation is straight acceleration, a car star accelerating (big), the Earth accelerate (very little) in opposite direction, the two forces are equals and opposite, the difference is in the mass of the two objects of the system.
Centripetal acceleration from steering is the same.
 

1. What is centripetal force?

Centripetal force is the force that acts on an object moving in a circular path, directing it towards the center of the circle.

2. How does centripetal force affect a vehicle while cornering?

Centripetal force is essential for a vehicle to make a turn while cornering. It acts as the inward force that keeps the vehicle moving in a circular path, preventing it from flying off in a straight line.

3. What factors affect the centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering?

The centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering is affected by the speed of the vehicle, the mass of the vehicle, and the radius of the turn. The higher the speed or mass, or the tighter the turn, the greater the centripetal force needed to keep the vehicle on its path.

4. How can a driver increase the centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering?

A driver can increase the centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering by increasing the speed of the vehicle or decreasing the radius of the turn. However, it is important to note that there is a limit to how much centripetal force a vehicle can handle before it loses control.

5. What happens if there is not enough centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering?

If there is not enough centripetal force on a vehicle while cornering, the vehicle will not be able to make the turn and will either slide off the road or continue in a straight line. This can result in a loss of control and potentially lead to an accident.

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