Final answer:
Oversteer is when the rear tires of a vehicle lose grip and cause the back end to skid outwards during a turn, which is influenced by the vehicle's center of mass, banked curves, and the influence of centrifugal force.
Step-by-step explanation:
Oversteer is a term used to describe a handling characteristic of a vehicle where the rear tires lose grip before the front tires do, causing the back end of the vehicle to skid or slide outwards in a turn. This can occur in high-performance cars when turning at high speeds, or in any vehicle if the road conditions are slippery. It contrasts with understeer, where the front tires lose grip first, causing the vehicle to turn less than intended.
The phenomenon of oversteer can be understood by examining concepts such as the center of mass, banked curve, and centrifugal force. The center of mass is the point in a body or system where the entire mass can be considered to be concentrated for the analysis of mechanical behavior. In vehicles, if the center of mass is closer to the rear axle, it can contribute to oversteer tendencies.
When a vehicle navigates through a curve, a banked curve can help prevent both understeer and oversteer by sloping the road surface in such a way that helps the vehicle maintain its course. The slope of the banking works with the centrifugal force, which is the apparent force that pushes a rotating object away from the center of rotation. This is not an actual force, but an effect felt due to inertia in a non-inertial frame of reference. In a well-designed banked curve, the banking angle helps to balance the inertia-induced lateral force, leading to safer and more stable vehicle handling.