Question

To check the radius of a railroad curve, the effect of a 2-lb weight is observed to be 20.7 lb on a spring scale suspended from the roof of an experimental car rounding the curve at 40mph. what is the radius of the curve?

Answer 1

$F = \dfrac{mv²}{r}$

$F = 20.7\ Ib× 9.8ms^{-2}$

$F = 202.86\ Ibms^{-2}$

$202.86 = \dfrac{2×40²}{r}$

$r = \dfrac{2× 40²}{202.86}$

$r = 15.77m$