Question

A race car rounds a curve at 53 m/s. The radius of the curve is 413 m, and the car's mass is 605 kg. (Assume the car's speed remains constant. Take the radially inward direction to be positive. Indicate the direction with the sign of your answer.)

(a) What is the car's (centripetal) acceleration?
m/s²

What is it in g's?
g

(b) What is the centripetal force acting on the car?
N

Answer 1

PART (a):

Centripetal force will be directed radially inward, hence it will be positive.

Centripetal acceleration is given by:

a_c = v²/R

a_c = (53 m/s)²/ (413 m)

a_c = 6.80 m/s²--------(answer)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

What is it in 'g' s ?

a_c = 6.80 m/s²

a_c = (6.80)/(9.80) g

a_c = 0.694 g --------(answer)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

PART (b):

Centripetal force is given by:

F_c = ma_c

F_c = (605 kg) x (6.80 m/s²)

F_c = 4114.88 N --------(answer)