Does a car's speed change during a turn?

In summary, the conversation discusses the relationship between a car's speed and the forces acting on it when making a turn. The simulation provided shows that the front wheel's speed increases while the center of the car's speed remains the same. However, it is noted that this is based on the assumption that there are no forces slowing down the car's speed. It is also mentioned that the car's speed can be affected by factors such as friction and air resistance. Overall, it is concluded that if there are no external forces affecting the car's speed, only its direction changes when making a turn.
  • #1
MarkPS
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Imagine a car driving forward at constant speed. If the car would make a turn, each wheel would get its own speed since each wheel has its own radius to the center of the curve. But does the center of car's speed stay the same?

Here's a simulation I made: https://vid.me/HYz9 The red arrow represents the center of the car's velocity, the green arrow is the front wheel's velocity. As I turn the wheel, the front wheel's speed get's bigger, but the center of the car's speed stays the same. Is this accurate?

The way I see it is that if a car drives straight at speed V, it then makes a turn, after the turn it straightens out and the speed will still be V. Obviously this only works if there is no forces that slows down the speed, which is assumed here.
 
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  • #2
This depends completely on the forces acting on the car. It is completely possible to have the car increase as well as decrease its speed during a curve depending on how hard you press the brakes and/or acceleration.
MarkPS said:
The way I see it is that if a car drives straight at speed V, it then makes a turn, after the turn it straightens out and the speed will still be V. Obviously this only works if there is no forces that slows down the speed, which is assumed here.
This is a tautology. You are basically saying "the car will not slow down unless there are forces acting in such a way that it slows down". The relation you might be after is this:
$$
\frac{dv}{dt} = \frac{d\sqrt{v^2}}{dt} = \frac{1}{2\sqrt{v^2}} \frac{dv^2}{dt} = \frac{1}{v} \vec v \cdot \vec a
$$
That is, the derivative of the speed is equal to the projection of the acceleration (and therefore proportional to the projection of the force) onto the direction of the velocity.
 
  • #3
Orodruin said:
It is completely possible to have the car increase as well as decrease its speed during a curve depending on how hard you press the brakes and/or acceleration.

I was a bit unclear, I'm not breaking nor accelerating. I'm just turning the steering wheel.

Orodruin said:
This is a tautology. You are basically saying "the car will not slow down unless there are forces acting in such a way that it slows down".
I realize the problem with that sentence. What I mean is that there is no air resitance and no friction in the wheels' directions. Obviously we need friction so that the car can turn.

So given that I only turn the steering wheel, I don't press the gas or break. The car is not affected by friction or air resistance, but it still can turn (lateral friction?). Is my simulation then accurate?
 
  • #4
If you make the assumption that there are no factors affecting linear acceleration (like rolling resistance effects related to side loads), then there's only centripetal acceleration, and in that case speed is not changed, only direction.
 
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  • #5
rcgldr said:
If you make the assumption that there are no factors affecting linear acceleration (like rolling resistance effects related to side loads), then there's only centripetal acceleration, and in that case speed is not changed, only direction.
very well said.
 

1. Does a car's speed change during a turn?

Yes, a car's speed does change during a turn. This is because the car is changing direction and its velocity is constantly changing in order to follow the curve of the turn.

2. What causes a car's speed to change during a turn?

A car's speed changes during a turn due to the principle of centripetal force. This force is directed towards the center of the turn and is necessary to keep the car moving in a curved path. As the car turns, the direction of this force changes, causing the car's speed to change as well.

3. Does the car's speed change in all types of turns?

Yes, the car's speed changes in all types of turns, whether it is a sharp turn or a gradual curve. The amount of change in speed may vary depending on the angle of the turn and the speed at which the car is traveling.

4. Can the car's speed be controlled during a turn?

Yes, the car's speed can be controlled during a turn by adjusting the accelerator or brake pedals. By reducing the speed, the car's turning radius will also decrease, allowing for a smoother turn. However, it is important to maintain a safe speed while turning to avoid losing control of the vehicle.

5. How does the car's speed affect the turning radius?

The car's speed directly affects the turning radius. The higher the speed, the larger the turning radius will be. This is because a higher speed requires a larger centripetal force to maintain the turn, resulting in a wider curve. Lowering the speed will decrease the turning radius, allowing for sharper turns.

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