Unit 8 Worksheet 1

         Assume that the car shown below is going at a constant speed. We will define centripetal force to be the net inward force.

1.      Construct a qualitative motion map of the car in Figure 1 between points A and B.

2.      Is the car in Figure 1 experiencing an acceleration? If your response is yes, in what direction? (Explain how you know.)

3.      Construct a qualitative force diagram for the car when it's at the top of the hill in Figure 1. (Justify the relative forces in your force diagram.)

4.      If the speed of the car in Figure 1 is 43 km/h, its mass is 1200 kg and the radius of curvature (r) is 25m, determine the magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the car between points A and B.

5.      Construct a quantitative force diagram for the car in Figure 1.

6.      What is the acceleration of the car depicted in Figure 1? (If the acceleration is not equal to zero, then illustrate magnitude and direction with a vector diagram.)

7.      For the car depicted in  Figure 1, at what speed would the centripetal force equal the force of gravity?

8.      Illustrate the situation described in question 7 with a force diagram.

9.      Suppose the car was going faster than the speed that you calculated for question 7, describe what would happen to the car.

10.    For the diagram below, draw an acceleration vector for the car at points A, B, C, D, and E.