Normal force on your car’s tires. Park your car on a relatively smooth pavement

Question

Normal force on your car’s tires. Park your car on a relatively smooth pavement like concrete. The tires have an approximately rectangular “footprint” where it is in contact with the pavement. Choose one of the tires and determine the area of its footprint. Do this by sliding a sheet of paper as far under the tire as possible. Use a pencil to mark the position of the paper on the pavement (see figure). Repeat for all four sides of the footprint. Use these marks to determine the width and length of the footprint. Record the width and length (in inches) as the answers to parts (A) and (B) of this problem. Be sure to record the decimal form (for example 6.5, not 6 1/2). Use a tire gauge to measure the gauge pressure of the air in the tire. Record the result in pounds/inch2 (psi) as the answer to part (C) of this problem. If you don’t have a tire gauge, use the recommended inflation pressure of your tire. This is usually printed on the end of the front left door of the car. It might also be printed on the tire itself. Assuming that the normal force of the pavement is balanced by the force exerted by the gauge pressure of the air inside the tire, calculate the normal force (lb) on the tire and record the result (to the nearest 100 lb) as the answer to part (D) of this problem.

Explanation / Answer

Normal force of the pavement is balanced by the force exerted by the gauge pressure of the air inside the tire. (Given)

Normal Force exerted by the pavement on each tyre = Pressure of the Tyre X Area of the patch made by the tyre on the pavement.

NOTE: Data is unsufficient, no figure is available.

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