A car goes around a circular curve on a horizontal road at constant speed.What is the direction of the friction force exerted on the car by the road?
A)tangent to the curve in the forward direction
B)tangent to the curve opposite to the direction of the car's motion
C)perpendicular to the curve outward
D)perpendicular to the curve inward
E)There is no friction on the car because its speed is constant.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In order for the car to maintain a constant speed while traveling around a circular curve, there must be a force acting towards the center of the circle, known as the centripetal force. This force is provided by the friction force exerted on the car by the road, and it must be directed perpendicular to the curve towards the center of the circle. Therefore, the direction of the friction force is perpendicular to the curve inward, which is represented by choice D.

A Car Goes Around a Circular Curve on a Horizontal