Question

you are driving 2500 kg car at a constant speed of 14 m/s along an icy, but straight and level road. While approaching a traffic light, it turns red. You slam on the brakes. You wheels lock, the tires begin skidding and the car slides to a halt at a distance of 25 m. What is the coefficient of sliding friction between the tires and the icy road?

Answer 1

The coefficient of sliding friction between the tires and the icy road can be found using the equation: coefficient of friction (μ) = (force of friction) / (normal force). We can calculate the force of friction using Newton's second law, and the normal force can be found by multiplying the mass of the car by the gravitational acceleration. Substituting these values into the equation for the coefficient of friction will give us the desired result.

Step-by-step explanation:

The coefficient of sliding friction between the tires and the icy road can be found using the equation:

coefficient of friction (μ) = (force of friction) / (normal force)

First, we need to find the force of friction. Since the car slides to a halt, the force of friction is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the force applied by the brakes. We can calculate the force of friction using Newton's second law:

force of friction = mass × acceleration

In this case, the acceleration is equal to the final velocity squared divided by twice the stopping distance:

acceleration = (final velocity^2) / (2 × stopping distance)

Finally, the normal force can be found using the equation:

normal force = mass × gravitational acceleration

Substituting these values into the equation for the coefficient of friction will give us the desired result.