What Range of Speeds Allows a Car to Safely Navigate a Wet, Banked Curve?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the safe speed range for a car navigating a wet, banked curve with a radius of 61 meters, designed for a speed of 89 km/h. Given a coefficient of static friction of 0.32 on wet pavement, participants emphasize the importance of considering both centrifugal force and frictional force in determining the limits of safe speed. The analysis concludes that the car's speed must be carefully managed to prevent spinning out due to excessive centrifugal force.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of circular motion dynamics
  • Knowledge of friction coefficients and their impact on vehicle handling
  • Familiarity with banked curve design principles
  • Basic physics concepts related to forces and motion
NEXT STEPS
  • Calculate the maximum and minimum speeds for a car on a banked curve using the formula for centripetal force
  • Explore the effects of varying the coefficient of friction on vehicle stability
  • Research the principles of vehicle dynamics in adverse weather conditions
  • Examine case studies of accidents related to speed on wet, banked curves
USEFUL FOR

Automotive engineers, physics students, and driving safety instructors will benefit from this discussion, particularly those focused on vehicle dynamics and safety in wet conditions.

botab
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Hello PF, I need some assistance with this problem.

A curve of radius 61 is banked for a design speed of 89 .

If the coefficient of static friction is 0.32 (wet pavement), at what range of speeds can a car safely make the curve? [Hint: Consider the direction of the friction force when the car goes too slow or too fast.]

how should I start this question @_@
 
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Hello botab. Units would help anyone looking at this question. numbers are meaningless if they don't have any units to tell you what they are measuring.

Basically you're going to need to consider the circular motion of the car. When the car travels in a circle there is a centrifugal force which is opposed by the friction between the road and the tyres. At some speed the centrifugal force will be too great for the friction to cope with and the car will spin out.
 

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