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Clari
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For a bicyclist travels in a circle, I want to ask whether the force of friction exerted by the road provides the centripetal force??
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The frictional force points towards the center, thus creating a centripetal acceleration.Clari said:...but seems that the force of friction is in different position to the centripetal acceleration. The centripetal acceleration points towards the circle, but friction of the road points tangential to the circle...so why is that?
cyrusabdollahi said:Doc, isint the centripital force caused by the changing direction of the velocity vector of the biker?
I would say it like this: The changing direction of the velocity tells you that the bike is undergoing an acceleration, which must be caused by a force. The force that causes the acceleration is the frictional force acting towards the center.cyrusabdollahi said:Doc, isint the centripital force caused by the changing direction of the velocity vector of the biker?
cyrusabdollahi said:Dex, it just seems odd to say that friction causes the acceleration. If a rocket ship in outer space were moving in a circle, there would be a centripetal acceleration. But friction would not be the "cause" of it.
Thanks Doc, I like that a lot better. :-) It just seemed odd to make friction the cause without mention to a changing direction of velocity.
A bicyclist travels in a circle by leaning their body and turning the handlebars in the direction they want to go. This shifts their center of mass and creates a centripetal force, causing them to follow a curved path.
The physics behind a bicyclist traveling in a circle is centripetal force. This force is directed towards the center of the circle and is required to keep the bicyclist moving in a circular path.
A bicyclist does not fall when traveling in a circle because of the balance between the centrifugal force (outward force) and centripetal force (inward force). As long as the centripetal force is greater, the bicyclist will continue to move in a circular path without falling.
The speed required for a bicyclist to maintain a circle depends on the radius of the circle and the mass of the bicyclist. The equation for centripetal force (F = mv^2 / r) can be used to calculate the necessary speed.
Technically, no. Even the most skilled bicyclist cannot travel in a perfect circle due to factors such as wind resistance and imperfections in the surface they are riding on. However, they can come very close to a perfect circle with proper technique and control.