Question

Q1. Tractors are often used on sloping fields, so stability is important in their design. On the diagram, the center of the X marks the center of the tractor.

a) Explain why the tractor has not toppled over.

b) Give two features of the tractor which affects its stability.
Q2. The diagram shows two buses. Bus A is empty. Bus B contains bags of sand upstairs to represent passengers. Each bus has been tilted as far as it can without falling over.
a) Each bus will topple over if it is tilted any further. Explain why this will happen.
b) What difference does it make to the stability of the bus when the upper deck is full of passengers?
c) Why are the bags of sand in bus B only put upstairs?
Q3. A tractor is being used on a rough ground. What is the safest position for its center of mass? it is an emergency I will give you 20 points

Answer 1

a) The tractor has not toppled over because the the center of mass is acting in between the wheels

b) The features which affect its stability are;

1) The location of the center of gravity of the tractor close to the ground

2) The increased spacing between the left and the right wheels of the tractor

Q2. a) The center of mass wheel act in the region to the right away the wheel span (space in between the wheel) which creates a clockwise effect to, topple the buses over

b) It raises the bus's center of mass higher

c) To raise the center of mass to its highest practical level

Q3. At the bottom middle location within the tractor

Step-by-step explanation:

a) The tractor has not toppled over because the vertical line from the center of gravity to the ground is still in between the wheel base such that since the tractor will topple over by turning clockwise about the right tire due to its weight, the weight of the tractor is currently acting in the anticlockwise direction to the right end tire of the tractor keeping the tractor's tires in good contact with the ground

b) The features which affect its stability are;

1) The location of the center of gravity of the tractor close to the ground

2) The increased spacing between the left and the right wheels of the tractor

Q2. a) When either of the buses are tilted further, the mass of the buses is acting on the tires and in their tilted condition, the mass is acting mainly on the right tire, whereby as the vertical line from the center of mass to the ground is in between the wheel bases the mass of the buses still serve s the restoring force to keep the bus on ground by providing anticlockwise moment where clockwise lotion is required for the bus to topple over

If the buses are tilted further, the vertical line from the center of mass will cross to the other side of the right tire such that the mass now provides clockwise moment turning the buses clockwise and since there are no opposing anticlockwise moment to balance that of the now clockwise moment of the buses it will continue to turn clockwise with the result that they eventually topple over

b) When the upper deck is full of passengers, there will be an appreciable proportion of the total mass of the bus in the upper deck such that the level of the center of mass will be raised up higher

c) Sand bags are only put upstairs because by allowing for the disproportionate distribution of load such that the majority of the load of the bus is concentrated upstairs, the center of mass will be at its maximum height allowing the bus to be tested for stability in the worst case scenario

Therefore, the sands are only put upstairs to raise the center of mass

Q3. Being that the tractor is being used on a rough ground, the safest position will be at the lowest possible location at the middle of both the front and rear wheels and the left and right tires.