Final answer:
A banked curve is higher on the outside than the inside, designed to utilize centripetal force, enabling vehicles to negotiate curves effectively. In ideally banked curves, friction is not necessary for maintaining the vehicle's path around the curve.
Step-by-step explanation:
A banked curve refers to the curve in a road that is sloping in a manner that helps a vehicle negotiate the curve. The correct answer to the question is that a banked curve is higher on the outside than on the inside. This design utilizes the concept of centripetal force, which is a net force causing uniform circular motion that is directed towards the center of the curve. While centrifugal force, a fictitious force, seems to throw an object to the outside of the curve, the slope of the banked curve and centripetal force work together to help keep the vehicle on the road without relying solely on friction.
For an 'ideally banked curve', the angle of the slope is such that a vehicle can negotiate the curve at a certain speed without the need for friction between the tires and the road. The center of mass of the vehicle, which is the point where the entire mass of an object can be thought to be concentrated, plays a crucial role in achieving balance on a banked curve.