- #1
nagyn
- 26
- 0
Homework Statement
To avoid this stress, vertical loops are teardrop-shaped rather than circular, designed so that the centripetal acceleration is constant all around the loop. How must the radius of curvature R change as the car's height h above the ground increases in order to have this constant centripetal acceleration? Express your answer as a function: R=R(h).
Given variables:
Initial radius R0
Initial velocity v0
Homework Equations
a_c = v2/r
v = r*ω
ΔPE = -ΔKErotational -ΔKEtranslational
The Attempt at a Solution
ΔPE = mgh
-ΔKEtranslational = (1/2)m(v02 - vf2)
-ΔKErotational = (1/2)m(r02ω02 - rf2ωf2)
if v=r*ω, then unless I'm mistaken, ΔKErotational = ΔKEtranslational (substitution), and therefore:
mgh = m(v02 - vf2)
Mass cancels out. Since centripetal acceleration is constant, I know that a_c initial = a_c final, therefore:
vf2 = (v02*rf)/r0
Substituting this back into the energy equation and then doing algebra,
rf = r0((v02 - gh)/v02)
This is incorrect, and I can't figure out where I've gone wrong?