Circular Motion of a roller coaster

[aligass2004]

Homework Statement

The passengers in a roller coaster car feels 55% heavier than their true weight as the car goes through a dip with a 24m radius of curvature. What is the car's speed at the bottom of the dip?

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution

I have no clue as to how to start this problem.

 

[Hootenanny]

Start by drawing a free-body diagram and examining the forces acting on the car. What do you know about the net force of an object traveling in a circle?

 

[aligass2004]

The forces acting on the car are weight and the normal force. Also, the velocity is perpendicular to the force pushing inward, which is why the object remains circular.

 

[Hootenanny]

The forces acting on the car are weight and the normal force. Also, the velocity is perpendicular to the force pushing inward, which is why the object remains circular.

Correct! So, do you know a relationship between force, velocity and radius for an object traveling in a circular path?

 

[aligass2004]

I have no idea.

 

[queenyv2005]

use the equation hmg=mg + mv^2/r. for example my percentage was 35% and my radius was 30m. so .35(9.8)= v^2/30 and solve for v