Originally, this turn had a very small radius, but the construction increases this radius. The equation for centripetal force, or the force an object undergoing uniform circular motion experiences, is shown above. If the turn has a small radius and the mass and velocity of the car remain constant, the centripetal force (aka the net force) needs to be large in order for the car to maintain circular motion. The centripetal force comes from the friction force by the road on the car, and this reaches a maximum value that might not be great enough to maintain circular motion. During the winter, slippery roads would mean that there is even less friction and a smaller centripetal force, so it is unlikely that a car would be able to maintain circular motion.
On the other hand, increasing the radius decreases the necessary centripetal force because the radius is in the denominator of this equation. This means that the friction force present might be enough to keep the car in the turn instead of drifting out like it would with the smaller radius. Therefore, increasing the radius of the turn makes the turn a lot safer for cars, especially during the winter with icy conditions.
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AuthorMy name is Kathleen Boyce and I am a 12th grader at Flint Hill School who is taking AP Physics I. Archives
April 2019
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