Monday 5 September 2016

newtonian mechanics - Frictionless banked turn, not sliding down an incline?


I was thinking about the problem in terms of defining the axes as follows in this answer, where the author states that:


$$mg \sin\theta = (\text{Centripetal Force})\times \cos\theta$$


However, I don't see how the forces acting along the incline end up cancelling in this situation. Both $mg \sin\theta$ and $F_N(\sin\theta)(\cos\theta)$ are working in the same direction. They are both working to bring the car down the incline. So shouldn't the car thus be sliding down the incline because both a component of the force of gravity down the incline and a component of the centripetal force are bringing the object down the incline? I know that this is not the standard way to think about it as defining the axes as such nontraditionally. However, I want to see how it works even despite this.


This answer begins to address my misunderstanding, however it uses the idea of centrifugal force which I come to understand as fictitious. Thank you.



Answer



enter image description here


The vehicle is moving in a horizontal circle with a constant speed. That means it is constantly accelerating towards the centre of this circle. (Acceleration does not have to be a change of speed; it can be a change of direction, or both.) The acceleration is $a=v^2/r$.



Newton's 2nd Law $F=ma$ applies here; $F$ is the net force on the vehicle. There are not 2 horizontal forces acting on the vehicle (centripetal force, component of normal reaction). There is only 1 force (component of normal reaction, which is $N\sin\theta$). This force is the centripetal force. $F=ma$ tells you how this force $N\sin\theta$ is related to the centripetal acceleration $a=v^2/r$.




In response to your query about taking components parallel and perpendicular to the incline, these are $W\sin\theta$ and $N-W\cos\theta$ (see diagram below). enter image description here


The resultant R must be horizontal, because the condition is that the car moves in a horizontal circle. So
$\frac{N-W\cos\theta}{W\sin\theta}=\tan\theta=\frac{\sin\theta}{\cos\theta}$
$N\cos\theta-W\cos^2\theta=W\sin^2\theta$
$N\cos\theta=W(\sin^2\theta+\cos^2\theta)=W$.


The magnitude of the resultant force R is such that
$R^2=(N-W\cos\theta)^2+(W\sin\theta)^2=N^2-2WN\cos\theta+W^2=N^2-W^2$
$=N^2-N^2\cos^2\theta=N^2\sin^2\theta$

$R=N\sin\theta$
as before.


This calculation was much more difficult than in the 1st diagram. Which shows how much simpler problems can be when you choose an appropriate co-ordinate system.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Understanding Stagnation point in pitot fluid

What is stagnation point in fluid mechanics. At the open end of the pitot tube the velocity of the fluid becomes zero.But that should result...