The driver of a 1000-kg car tries to turn through a circle of radius 100 m on an unbanked curve at a speed of 10 m/s.The actual frictional force between the tires and a slippery road has a magnitude of 900 N.The car:
A)slides into the inside of the curve
B)makes the turn
C)slows down due to the frictional force
D)will make the turn only if it goes faster
E)slides off to the outside of the curve

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The frictional force provides the centripetal force necessary for circular motion. If the available frictional force is less than the required centripetal force to make the turn, the car will slide off to the outside of the curve. The required centripetal force can be calculated using the formula $F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}$, where $m$ is the mass, $v$ is the velocity, and $r$ is the radius of the circle. In this case, with the given parameters, the required centripetal force exceeds the available frictional force of 900 N, leading to the car sliding off to the outside of the curve.

The Driver of a 1000-Kg Car Tries to Turn Through