What Is the Normal Force on a Person at the Top of a Ferris Wheel?

[thekeyofheart]

Homework Statement

What is the normal force acting upon a person at the top of a ferris wheel that has a radius of 60 meters, and is traveling at a rate of 25 meters/second?

Homework Equations

centripetal acceleration = velocity²/radius

Centripetal Force = Gravity Force - Normal Force

Normal Force = mv²/rtmg

Gravity Force = mg

The Attempt at a Solution

The only way I know of to solve this problem is if the mass is known, but in this question the mass is not given.

centripetal acceleration = 10.42 m/s²

I tried drawing a free body force diagram


What is the next thing I should be considering?

 

[tiny-tim]

Welcome to PF!

Hi thekeyofheart! Welcome to PF!

Well, you're certainly right … you do need to know the mass to calculate N

I think you'll have to call the mass "m", and give an answer as a multiple of m.

(unless … perhaps the question is asking for the "g-force", which is really the acceleration as a multiple of g, and for which, of course, you don't need the mass)

 

[thekeyofheart]

Hi thekeyofheart! Welcome to PF!

Well, you're certainly right … you do need to know the mass to calculate N

I think you'll have to call the mass "m", and give an answer as a multiple of m.

(unless … perhaps the question is asking for the "g-force", which is really the acceleration as a multiple of g, and for which, of course, you don't need the mass)

Thank you for the welcome, tiny-tim! I have been a follower for a while, but I only recently made an account, and this was my first post.

I know I tend to overanalyze stuff like this, and I kept trying to figure out a way to complete the problem without knowing the mass. I am using m as a variable, and when I get the expected answer I will report back =)

Thank you for your advice!