A 44.0-kg child takes a ride on a Ferris wheel that rotates four times each minu

Question

A 44.0-kg child takes a ride on a Ferris wheel that rotates four times each minute and has a diameter of 22.0 m. (a) What is the centripetal acceleration of the child? magnitude m/s2 direction (b) What force (magnitude and direction) does the seat exert on the child at the lowest point of the ride? magnitude N direction up toward the center Correct: Your answer is correct. (c) What force does the seat exert on the child at the highest point of the ride? magnitude N direction down toward the center Incorrect: Your answer is incorrect. What is the direction of the centripetal acceleration when the child is at the highest point of the circular motion, and what direction of force does this require the seat to exert? (d) What force does the seat exert on the child when the child is halfway between the top and bottom? (Assume the Ferris wheel is rotating clockwise and the child is moving upward.) magnitude N direction

Explanation / Answer

in all three cases in order for the child to remain going in a circle, the resultant force must be equal to the centripetal force. that means that the normal force exerted on the child by the seat and gravity must have a resultant force = 1.667 * 48 b at the lowest point, centripetal force is purely upwards, and gravity is purely downwards that means that Fc = Fn + Fg 80N = Fn - (470.4) Fn = 550.4N (in the positive y direction) c) at the top, Fc and Fg are both in a downwards direction Fc = Fn + Fg -80N = Fn - 470N Fn = 390.4N d) this one is tricky, the centripetal force points in purely the x direction, but since the child cannot be accellerating in the y direction at the time(or he'd stop going in a circle) the resultant force in the y direction must be 0 Fn = Fg Fn = 470.4N (y direction) and Fn = Fc Fn = 80N (x direction)

Related Questions

Navigate

• Browse (All)
• Browse A
• Subjects

---

---

Integrity-first tutoring: explanations and feedback only — we do not complete graded work. Learn more.