Radial & Tangential Acceleration of a Car at Indianapolis 500 | Physics Solution

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a car accelerating uniformly in a semicircular arc during the Indianapolis 500, transitioning from rest to a speed of 320 km/h while navigating a curve with a radius of 200 m. The objective is to determine both the tangential and radial acceleration at the midpoint of the arc, while also considering the necessary coefficient of static friction for maintaining traction.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the calculation of tangential and radial acceleration, with one attempting to apply the formula for radial acceleration but questioning the velocity used in the calculation. There is also confusion regarding the radius at the midpoint of the arc and the correct interpretation of the final velocity.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring the implications of using the correct velocity at the halfway point of the arc for calculating radial acceleration. Some guidance has been provided regarding the need to clarify the velocity at the midpoint, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach.

Contextual Notes

There is a noted typo in the initial posts regarding the speed of the car, and participants are actively questioning the assumptions made about the radius and velocity in their calculations.

y90x
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Homework Statement



A car at the Indianapolis 500 accelerates uniformly from the pit area, going from rest to 320km/h in a semicircular arc with a radius of 200 m. Determine the tangential and radial acceleration of the car when it is halfway through the arc, assuming constant tangential acceleration. If the curve were flat, what coefficient of static friction would be necessary between the tires and the road to provide this acceleration with no slipping or skidding?



The attempt at a solution
I solved for tagental acceleration :
At= vf^2- Vo^2 /2d
= 88.8^2/2(pi * 200)
=6.288 m/s^2

For the radial acceleration is :
Ac= v^2/r
=88.8^2/200
=39.5 m/s^2
The correct answer is 19.75m/s^2
Why am I getting it wrong (the radial acceleration)? :/
88.8 is in m/s btw (from the 320 km/h)
 
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y90x said:
from the 320 km/h

y90x said:
from rest to 270 km h
?
 
haruspex said:
?

That first one was a typo , in the paper it says 320 km/h
 
y90x said:
when it is halfway through the arc
Did you read that correctly when you wrote:
y90x said:
Ac= v^2/r
=88.8^2/200
?
 
haruspex said:
Did you read that correctly when you wrote:

?

That would mean the 200 m changes to 100 m
And it’ll give me a higher number , 79.03 m/s^2
 
y90x said:
That would mean the 200 m changes to 100 m
No, the radius is 200m. But what velocity are you using in v2/r?
 
haruspex said:
No, the radius is 200m. But what velocity are you using in v2/r?

Ohh, that’s the final velocity when it’s at the end of the arc ? So I find the velocity when it’s halfway , then apply it in v^2/r
 
y90x said:
Ohh, that’s the final velocity when it’s at the end of the arc ? So I find the velocity when it’s halfway , then apply it in v^2/r
Yes.
 

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