A model train with a mass of 2 kg2kg is moving along a track at 9 (cm)/s9cms. If the curvature of the track changes from a radius of 5 cm5cm to 25 cm25cm, by how much must the centripetal force applied by the tracks change?

1 Answer
Mar 4, 2018

The change in centripetal force is =0.277N=0.277N

Explanation:

The centripetal force is

vecF_C=(mv^2)/r*vecrFC=mv2rr

The mass is of the train m=2kgm=2kg

The velocity of the train is v=0.09ms^-1v=0.09ms1

The radii of the tracks are

r_1=0.05mr1=0.05m

and

r_2=0.25mr2=0.25m

The variation in the centripetal force is

DeltaF=F_2-F_1

The centripetal forces are

||F_1||=2*0.09^2/0.05=0.324N

||F_2||=2*0.09^2/0.25=0.0648N

DeltaF=F_1-F_2=0.342-0.0648=0.277N