How Does Static Friction Affect Car Acceleration?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the maximum acceleration of a four-wheel-drive automobile with a mass of 1000 kg and a coefficient of static friction of 0.80. The user initially calculated the static friction force as 7850 N, leading to an acceleration of 7.84 m/s². However, a participant pointed out a minor arithmetic error in the calculation of the static friction force, which should be 7840 N instead of 7850 N, resulting in a corrected maximum acceleration of 7.84 m/s².

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's Second Law (F=ma)
  • Knowledge of static friction and its coefficient
  • Basic arithmetic skills for calculations
  • Familiarity with the concept of weight distribution in vehicles
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  • Review the principles of static friction and its application in vehicle dynamics
  • Study the effects of weight distribution on vehicle performance
  • Learn about different coefficients of friction for various surfaces
  • Explore advanced vehicle acceleration models incorporating traction control systems
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Automotive engineers, physics students, and anyone interested in vehicle dynamics and performance optimization.

physics1234
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An automobile with four wheel drive has mass of 1000kg. Its weight is evenly distrubuted among the four wheels, whos coefficient of static friction with the road is 0.80. If the car starts from rest and the road is horizontal calculate the maximum acceleration it can attain without spinning its wheels.

I did:

f = mumg
f = .8(1000)(9.8)
f = 7850

F=ma
7840=1000a
a= 7.84m/s2


Is this correct? If not, where did I go wrong? Thanks. :smile:
 
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physics1234 said:
An automobile with four wheel drive has mass of 1000kg. Its weight is evenly distrubuted among the four wheels, whos coefficient of static friction with the road is 0.80. If the car starts from rest and the road is horizontal calculate the maximum acceleration it can attain without spinning its wheels.

I did:

f = mumg
f = .8(1000)(9.8)
f = 7850

F=ma
7840=1000a
a= 7.84m/s2


Is this correct? If not, where did I go wrong? Thanks. :smile:

Your method looks okay to me, however, you have made a small arithmetical error here;
physics1234 said:
f = .8(1000)(9.8)
f = 7850
 

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