Question

The average NASCAR race car weighs 3400 lb. At a recent Nascar race the cars went flying around the banked curves at a raceway. The banking of the turns at the raceway are θ = 28°. Hint 1: you will want to convert the units given to kg and m/s first. Hint 2: The horizontal component of the normal force supplies the needed centripetal force in this case (not the friction force).

(a) What is the algebraic expression for the component of the normal force in the vertical direction? (Use the following as necessary: F_N and θ.)
F_N,y =

(c) What is the algebraic expression for the component of the normal force in the horizontal direction? (Use the following as necessary: F_N and θ.)
F_N,x =

(e) If the car is going around the curve at a speed of 195 mph calculate the centripetal force acting on the car.


(f) Suppose the curve was not banked. For the same radius, what centripetal force will be needed to keep the car going around the curve at the same speed of 195 mph? Note: in the case of an unbanked curve, friction force will be needed to provide the centripetal force.

Answer 1