A race car is moving around a circular track at non-uniform speed. How would you determine the net force acting on the car at any instant?
Understand the Problem
The question asks how to determine the net force on a race car moving at non-uniform speed around a circular track. This involves understanding centripetal and tangential forces and how they contribute to the net force.
Answer
The net force is the vector sum of centripetal force and tangential force.
To determine the net force on a race car moving around a circular track at non-uniform speed, consider both the centripetal force (due to the circular motion) and the tangential force (due to the changing speed). The net force is the vector sum of these two forces.
Answer for screen readers
To determine the net force on a race car moving around a circular track at non-uniform speed, consider both the centripetal force (due to the circular motion) and the tangential force (due to the changing speed). The net force is the vector sum of these two forces.
More Information
The centripetal force is directed towards the center of the circle and keeps the car moving in a circle. The tangential force is tangent to the circle and causes the car to speed up or slow down.
Tips
A common mistake is to only consider the centripetal force and forget about the tangential force when the speed is not constant.
Sources
- The Centripetal Force Requirement - The Physics Classroom - physicsclassroom.com
- Determining the Net Force - The Physics Classroom - physicsclassroom.com
- Centripetal Acceleration | Physics - Lumen Learning - courses.lumenlearning.com
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