Question

A car has a distance between axles of 6.2 m and a center of mass located 2.2 m from the front axle. What is the

ratio of the weights indicated by a scale when only the front axle is on the scale versus when only the rear axle
is on the scale?
Select one:
O a. W front axles / Wirear axle) = 1.62
O b. Wifront axles / Wirear axle)
1.93
O c. W front axe) / Wirear asse) =
1.81
1/ We
O d. Wifront axle
(rear axle) = 2.06

Answer 1

The correct option is C

Step-by-step explanation:

From the question we are told that

The distance between axles of the car is
`d_a = 6.2`

The position of the car's center of mass is
`D = 2.2 \ m \ in \ front \ of \ the \ axel`

Now we can evaluate the distance of the center of mass to the rear axle as follows

`k = d_a - D`

substituting values

`k = 6.2 - 2.2`

`k = 4 \ m`

assuming the car is at equilibrium, taking moment about the center of mass

`W_(front \ axle) * D - W_(rear \ axle) * k = 0`

=>
`W_(front \ axle) * D = W_(rear \ axle) * k`

=>
`(W_(front \ axle))/(W_(rear \ axle) ) = (k)/(D)`

substituting values

`(W_(front \ axle))/(W_(rear \ axle) ) = (4)/(2.2)`

`(W_(front \ axle))/(W_(rear \ axle) ) = 1.81` Note [
`W_(front \ axle)` is the front axle weight and

`W_(rear \ axle)` is the rear axle weight ]