A model train, with a mass of 2 kg2kg, is moving on a circular track with a radius of 3 m3m. If the train's kinetic energy changes from 4 j4j to 15 j15j, by how much will the centripetal force applied by the tracks change by?

1 Answer
Dec 26, 2016

The centripetal force will increase by 1.25 N1.25N from 1.33N1.33N to 2.58N2.58N

Explanation:

Since centripetal force is based on the mass of the train, the radius of the track and the speed of the train, we need to find this final quantity. We can do this using the kinetic energy:

K_i=1/2mv_i^2Ki=12mv2i

4 = 1/2 (2) v_i^24=12(2)v2i

v_i = 2 m/svi=2ms

This means the initial centripetal force is

F_(ci)=(mv_i)/r = ((2)(2))/3 = 4/3 N~~1.33NFci=mvir=(2)(2)3=43N1.33N

At a similar way, we find the final speed from the final kinetic energy:

K_f=1/2mv_f^2Kf=12mv2f

15 = 1/2 (2) v_f^215=12(2)v2f

v_f = sqrt15 m/svf=15ms

This means the centripetal force at this time is

F_(cf)=(mv_f)/r = (2(sqrt15))/3 ~~ 2.58 NFcf=mvfr=2(15)32.58N

The change in centripetal force will be an increase of

2.58 - 1.33 = 1.25N2.581.33=1.25N