Number of horses or other animals along the outer edge of
ride
Estimated distance between two adjacent animals along the
outer edge of ride
Centripetal acceleration of an outside rider (measured)
QUESTIONS:
a)
The linear velocity of an outside rider is [less than, equal
to, greater than]
an inside rider. Circle
your answer.
b)
The centripetal acceleration of an outside rider is [less
than, equal to,
greater than] an inside rider. Justify your answer to part
(b), keeping in mind
your answer to part (a).
Sketch
the
forces acting on you when you're riding on an outside horse.
Identify the
forces.
While
the
ride is in motion, do you feel as if you are being pulled
toward or away
from the center of the ride? Explain.
Why
don't
people sit straight up on a horse while the carousel is
moving?
Imagine
that all riders are
riding outside horses. Once the carousel is turning, the
motor is turned off
and the carousel continues to turn freely with no frictional
loss. If all riders
then move from the outside horses to inside horses while the
carousel is
turning, what affect would this have on the motion of the
carousel? Explain
CALCULATIONS:
show
your work and clearly
identify your final answers
1.Find
the linear speed of an outside rider.
2.Find
the linear speed of an inside rider.
3.Calculate
the centripetal acceleration of the outside rider in m/s2and g's.
4.Calculate
the centripetal acceleration of the inside rider in m/s2and g's.
5.Compare
your calculated accelerations to the measured lateral
accelerations
6.What
is the average linear speed in miles per hour (mph) that you
traveled on the
carousel at Great America?First
make a mental estimate, then do the calculations. You may use
the approximate
conversion of 30 m/s ≈ 90 ft/s ≈ 60 mph, or work it out any
other way you
choose.Show
your work.
