WS: Quantitative Centripetal Force Name: ___________________________________________

v2 m∙ v 2 N
a c=
r
F c=
r (
F g=m 9.8
kg ) F f =μ ∙ F N 1607 meters = 1 mile

1. a. A car travels through a valley at constant speed, though not at constant velocity. Explain how this is
possible.

c. Is the car accelerating? What direction is the car's acceleration? (Explain how you know.)

d. Construct a qualitative free-body diagram for the car at the moment it is at the bottom of the valley. Are
the forces balanced? Justify the relative sizes of the forces.

e. If the car's speed is 25 m/s, its mass is 1300 kg and the radius of valley (r) is 25 meters, determine the
magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the car.

f. Construct a quantitative free-body diagram for the car at the bottom of the valley. (That is, quantify the
value of all forces acting on the car.)

©Modeling Instruction - AMTA 2013 1 U7 Central Force Model - ws2 v3.1

2. A car travels over a hill at constant speed.

a. If the speed of the car is 43 km/h, its mass is 1200 kg and the radius of the hill (r) is 25m, determine the
magnitude of the centripetal force acting on the car.

b. Construct a quantitative force diagram for the car at the moment it is at the top of the hill. Are the forces
balanced? Justify the relative sizes of the forces with the calculated values of each force.

3. Roads are banked (tilted) in curves in order to make turning a car at high speeds safer.
a. For the situation of an unbanked road, draw a free-body diagram for a car coming toward you as it is
turning.
Which force provides the force needed to make the turn?

If the car is taking a 30 m radius turn at 40 miles per hour, how much friction is required between the car’s
tires and the road in order to keep the car from skidding out of the turn? The car’s mass is 1100 kg.

©Modeling Instruction - AMTA 2013 2 U7 Central Force Model - ws2 v3.1

 b. For the situation of a banked road, draw a free-body diagram for a car coming toward you as it is turning.
Identify all of the forces and components of forces that contribute to the force needed to make the turn.
Explain why banking the road would allow the car to take the turn at a faster speed.

4. A yo-yo professional swings the yo-yo "around the world." Draw free-body diagrams for the yo-yo at each of
the four positions shown: top, descending side, bottom, ascending side. For each of the positions, indicate
which force or combination of forces provides the force needed for circular motion.

The yo-yo has a mass of 0.2 kilograms, and the yo-yo string can withstand up to 43 N of tension force without
breaking. Determine the maximum speed that the yo-yo can be swung while performing this trick with a yo-yo
string that is 1 meter long.

©Modeling Instruction - AMTA 2013 3 U7 Central Force Model - ws2 v3.1