Draw vectors for a car being dragged along a ramp

In summary: The Ferrari has more speed, but because the ice gives way more quickly to the pavement, the Ferrari ends up spinning and losing. In a similar way, a car with more engine power will lose against a car with less engine power if the ground on which they are racing is not smooth.
  • #1
RUphysics3
24
0

Homework Statement



A 1070-kg car is held in place by a light cable on a very smooth (frictionless) ramp, as shown in the figure(Figure 1) . The cable makes an angle of 31.0 ∘above the surface of the ramp, and the ramp itself rises at 25.0 ∘ above the horizontal.
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http://imgur.com/gkOQuRq

"Draw the force vectors with their tails at the front bumper of the car. The location and orientation of your vectors will be graded. The exact length of your vectors will not be graded."

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


The problem states "a frictionless surface", so i didn't add a friction vector. Tension can only be in the cable( as far as i know?) so i put a tension vector along the cable. The weight vector i put straight down, and the normal vector perpendicular to the surface. I figured that the car is being dragged along the ramp, so i put a thrust vector along the dotted line. It looks like this as of now

http://imgur.com/Geg71cj

I only have two attempts remaining. I've tried a lot of different methods.. The only thing I can think of at this point is to take out the thrust vector and see if that works.
 
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  • #2
RUphysics3 said:
The only thing I can think of at this point is to take out the thrust vector and see if that works.

How does thrust propel a car? Is friction between the tires and the road surface involved?
 
  • #3
Mister T said:
How does thrust propel a car? Is friction between the tires and the road surface involved?
I don't know, we didn't even learn about thrust. When I go to add vectors, i can choose from thrust force, weight, tension force, normal force and friction force. I think because it says the surface is a frictionless ramp that I shouldn't include the friction force..I already tried taking the thrust vector out and that was wrong too. i feel like I am out of viable options?
 
  • #4
RUphysics3 said:
I don't know, we didn't even learn about thrust.

Uhhh... When you say "we" do you really mean "I"? You really don't know what force propels a car, and you don't know if friction has anything to do with it?

I already tried taking the thrust vector out and that was wrong too. i feel like I am out of viable options?

It looks like ##\vec{T}## is not quite at the right angle. I don't know if that's the problem.
 
  • #5
Mister T said:
Uhhh... When you say "we" do you really mean "I"? You really don't know what force propels a car, and you don't know if friction has anything to do with it?
It looks like ##\vec{T}## is not quite at the right angle. I don't know if that's the problem.
I mean in the class, we didn't go over thrust. Sorry lol. Well a normal car it would be related to the engine, this car is being held by the cable. Actually, because the car isn't moving, is there no thrust at all?
 
  • #6
RUphysics3 said:
Actually, because the car isn't moving, is there no thrust at all?
Thrust is just another word for force, though it is usually reserved for a push rather than a pull, and specifically for the driving force produced by an engine.
As you say, the car is merely being held in place, so the three forces you described initially are all there are. Since the ramp is frictionless, the car has no means of producing a thrust anyway.
 
  • #7
haruspex said:
Since the ramp is frictionless, the car has no means of producing a thrust anyway.

And that, not the fact that the car is motionless, is the reason why the thrust is zero.

Think about a drag race between a Ferrari and a Civic. The Civic is on dry pavement and the Ferrari is on wet ice.
 

1. What is the purpose of drawing vectors for a car being dragged along a ramp?

The purpose of drawing vectors for a car being dragged along a ramp is to visually represent the forces acting on the car and their direction. This can help in understanding the movement and acceleration of the car.

2. What are the main forces involved in this scenario?

The main forces involved in this scenario are the force of gravity, the normal force from the ramp, and the force of friction. These forces act in different directions and affect the movement of the car.

3. How do you draw the vectors for the forces?

To draw the vectors for the forces, first identify the direction of each force. Then, use a scale to determine the length of the vector. Finally, draw an arrow in the direction of the force with the length representing the magnitude of the force.

4. How do the vectors change if the angle of the ramp is increased?

If the angle of the ramp is increased, the force of gravity will increase as the car is being pulled downwards at a steeper angle. This will result in a longer vector for the force of gravity. The normal force and friction force vectors may also change depending on the surface of the ramp.

5. Can drawing vectors help predict the motion of the car?

Yes, drawing vectors can help predict the motion of the car by showing the direction and magnitude of the forces acting on it. By analyzing the vectors, we can determine the acceleration of the car and its eventual movement along the ramp.

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