Speed bump reaction force on a car

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the force acting on a car's front axle when it hits a speed bump, specifically a car with a mass of 1950 kg traveling at 19.4 m/s. The speed bump is 0.05 m high and has a 45° angle. Participants highlight the need to consider impulse rather than force due to the complexities involved, including the rigidity of the tires. The conversation emphasizes using symbolic representation in calculations before substituting numerical values for accuracy.

PREREQUISITES
  • Newton's laws of motion
  • Impulse-momentum theorem
  • Basic principles of vehicle dynamics
  • Understanding of conservation of momentum
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the impulse-momentum theorem in detail
  • Learn about vehicle dynamics and suspension systems
  • Explore conservation of momentum equations in collisions
  • Investigate the effects of tire rigidity on vehicle impact forces
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Students in physics or engineering, automotive engineers, and anyone interested in vehicle dynamics and impact analysis.

Duffelmop
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Homework Statement


Hi I need to solve the next problem: a car with a total mass of 1950KG hits a speed bump at 19,4m/s. The speed bump is 0,05m high and has a angle of 45°. The car hits the bump with the front axle first. How much force acts on the front axle on the moment of impact.

Homework Equations


I started with Newton's law... but I totally messed it up...
Also did some search work, but it made it only more complex for me:
http://www.shimrestackor.com/Code/User_Manual/Sections/Suspension_Velocity/suspension-velocity.htm

The Attempt at a Solution

Sorry for my bad english.
 
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Are you sure you have quoted the question exactly? Seems like it should be asking for impulse, not force.
 
haruspex said:
Are you sure you have quoted the question exactly? Seems like it should be asking for impulse, not force.

They asked us to answer how much force was acting on the car in those conditions. It was an exam question this morning, and i really couldn't solve it. It seems for me like there is something missing...
 
Duffelmop said:
They asked us to answer how much force was acting on the car in those conditions. It was an exam question this morning, and i really couldn't solve it. It seems for me like there is something missing...
The force is indeterminate, since it will depend on e.g. the rigidity of the tyres. Assume it means impulse.
It's best to work symbolically and only plug numbers in at the end. Let the car be moving initially at speed u, have mass m, and tyres radius r.
Let the impulse from the speed bump be J and the horizontal component of the car's speed immediately afterwards be v.
For simplicity, we can take the car's mass as being m/2 at the middle of the front wheels and m/2 at the middle of the back wheels.
1. In what direction will the impulse be?
2. In what direction will the front tyres be moving immediately after impact, and at what speed? (Assume no bounce.)
3. In what direction will the rear tyres be moving?

Can you write a conservation equation to relate these?
 

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