Uniform circular motion: A car drives over a hilltop that has a radius of curvature 0.120 km at the top of the hill. At what speed would the car be traveling if its tires just barely lose contact with the road when the car is at the top of the hill?
A) 45.5 m/s
B) 41.8 m/s
C) 34.3 m/s
D) 22.2 m/s
E) 27.6 m/s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The car loses contact when the gravitational force equals the centripetal force required for circular motion. Using the formula v = sqrt(r*g), where r = 0.120 km = 120 m and g = 9.8 m/s², we find v ≈ 34.3 m/s.

Uniform Circular Motion: a Car Drives Over a Hilltop That