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TimeInquirer
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If a car is on top of a mountain moving with an initial velocity, will it only forces acting on it be the normal force counteracted by the force due to gravity?
The normal force will be less than the gravitational force. Part of the gravitational force will be used to change the direction of the velocity vector as the car travels in the arc over the crest of the mountain.TimeInquirer said:If a car is on top of a mountain moving with an initial velocity, will it only forces acting on it be the normal force counteracted by the force due to gravity?
We clearly have a difference in interpretation here. In the problem statement, they didn't have to mention that it was on the top of a mountain if they didn't expect you to take into account the curvature (and, instead, assume the car was on a flat horizontal surface).brainpushups said:It depends on what you mean by 'top of a mountain.' I interpret that to mean that the road is flat which means the velocity would be horizontal, and there would be no acceleration (assuming the person is not using the controls to do so).
I never said that. I said the author intended us to consider a curved mountain surface when the car is at the peak of the mountain.brainpushups said:I agree with you 100%, but why not say 'on a hill' or something? 'Top of a hill' to me says something different. I think you're right that the author of the question intends to discuss the component of gravity on a sloped surface.
A free body diagram is a visual representation of the forces acting on an object. It is used to analyze the motion of an object and understand the different forces that may affect it.
Creating a free body diagram for a car on a mountain allows us to understand the different forces acting on the car, such as gravity, normal force, and friction. This helps us analyze the motion of the car and determine its stability on the mountain.
To draw a free body diagram for a car on a mountain, you first need to identify all the forces acting on the car. These may include the weight of the car, the normal force from the ground, and any frictional forces. Then, draw a simple diagram of the car and label each force with an arrow indicating its direction and magnitude.
The key components of a free body diagram for a car on a mountain include the car itself, the forces acting on the car, and the direction and magnitude of each force. It is important to accurately label and represent each force to properly analyze the motion of the car.
A free body diagram helps in solving problems related to a car on a mountain by providing a visual representation of the forces acting on the car. This allows us to use the principles of Newton's laws of motion to determine the net force on the car and predict its motion on the mountain.