A car with a tire performance…

Physics Questions

A car with a tire performance test travels on a flat circular track with a radius of 516 m. It accelerates uniformly at 3.89 m/s² until the speed reaches 32.8 m/s, causing the tires to skid. What is the coefficient of static friction between the tires and the road, given that the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s²?

Short Answer

The solution outlines the steps to calculate the coefficient of static friction on a track with a radius of 516 m. Initially, it notes the given values, computes the radial acceleration as approximately 2.085 m/s², then determines the total acceleration to be around 19.4791 m/s², leading to a coefficient of static friction of approximately 1.987.

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1: Identify Given Values

Start by noting the important values provided in the problem. These include the radius of the track and the various accelerations that will be useful in our calculations. The key values are:

  • Radius of the track, r = 516 m
  • Tangential acceleration, a_r = 3.89 m/s¬≤
  • Speed, v = 32.8 m/s

Step 2: Calculate Radial Acceleration

Next, compute the radial acceleration using the formula a_R = v²/r. Substitute the known values to find:

  • Substituting into the formula gives a_R = (32.8)¬≤ / 516.
  • This results in a_R ‚âà 2.085 m/s¬≤.

Step 3: Find the Coefficient of Static Friction

Now that you have both the tangential and radial accelerations, calculate the total acceleration using total acceleration = √(a_r² + a_R²). This leads to the coefficient of static friction via:

  • Total acceleration calculated is approximately 19.4791 m/s¬≤.
  • The formula for the coefficient of static friction becomes Œº = g / total acceleration.
  • Substituting g = 9.8 gives Œº ‚âà 1.987.

Related Concepts

Radius

The distance from the center of a circle to any point on its circumference, crucial for calculating circular motion.

Tangential acceleration

The rate of change of the linear velocity along the edge of a circular path, important for determining how fast an object is speeding up or slowing down.

Coefficient of static friction

A dimensionless value that represents the ratio of the maximum static frictional force to the normal force, helping to assess the grip or friction between surfaces in motion.

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