A 100-kg person sits on a 5-kg bicycle. The weight is borne equally by the two wheels of the bicycle. The tires are inflated to a gauge pressure of 8.0 × 10⁵ Pa and are 2.0 cm wide. What length of each tire is in contact with the ground?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The total weight is 1050 N (105 kg * 9.8 m/s²). Each wheel supports half, so 525 N. Pressure = Force/Area, so Area = Force/Pressure = 525 N / (8.0 × 10⁵ Pa). The contact area is width * length, so length = Area/width = (525 N / 8.0 × 10⁵ Pa) / 0.02 m = 3.2 cm.

A 100-Kg Person Sits on a 5-Kg Bicycle