Question

A police officer in hot pursuit drives her car through a circular turn of radius 353 m with a constant speed of 74.1 km/h. Her mass is 54.1 kg.What are (a) the magnitude and (b) the angle (relative to vertical) of the net force of the officer on the car seat? (Hint: Consider both horizontal and vertical forces.)

Answer 1

Part a)

`F_c = 64.9 N`

Part b)

the angle relative to vertical is 90 degree

Step-by-step explanation:

When car is moving in circle with uniform speed then the force on the car is always towards the center of the circle

This force is known as centripetal force

`F_c = (mv^2)/(R)`

now we have

m = 54.1 kg

`v = 74.1 km/h = 20.6 m/s`

`F_c = (54.1(20.6^2))/(353)`

`F_c = 64.9 N`

Part b)

Since there is no acceleration of car in horizontal direction while it has vertical acceleration towards the center

so the angle relative to vertical is 90 degree