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Two identical cars, one on the moon and one on earth, are rounding banked curves at the same speed with the same radius and the same angle. the acceleration due to gravity on the moon is 1/6 that of earth. how do the centripetal accelerations of each car compare?

a.the centripetal acceleration of the car on earth is less than that on the moon.

b.the centripetal acceleration of the car on earth is greater than that on the moon.

c.the centripetal accelerations are the same for both cars.

d.this cannot be determined without knowing the radius and the

User Amin Alaee
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2 Answers

3 votes

Final answer:

The centripetal accelerations of two identical cars rounding banked curves at the same speed, radius, and angle on Earth and the Moon are the same since the formula for centripetal acceleration, which is velocity squared divided by radius, does not depend on the local acceleration due to gravity.

Step-by-step explanation:

When comparing the centripetal accelerations of two identical cars rounding banked curves with the same speed, radius, and angle, one on Earth and one on the Moon, an important factor to consider is the acceleration due to gravity on each body. The formula for centripetal acceleration (ac) is ac = v²/r, where v is the velocity of the car and r is the radius of the circular path.

Given that both cars have the same speed (v) and radius (r), and that the centripetal acceleration is not directly dependent on gravity, the centripetal accelerations will be the same for both cars. It is essential to note that the gravitational force would affect the normal force and the friction available, but this does not change the centripetal acceleration required to keep the cars on their paths. Therefore, the correct answer is: c. the centripetal accelerations are the same for both cars.

User Matt Gibson
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6 votes
D because you are not given enough info

User KingCrunch
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