Homework Help: physics!

Posted by Leah on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 7:27pm.

The mass of an automobile is 1160kg, and the distance between its front and rear axles is 2.54m. The center of gravity of the car is between the front and rear tires, and the horizontal distance between the center of gravity and the front axle is 1.02m. Determine the normal force that the ground applies to (a) each of the two front wheels and to (b) each of the two rear wheels.

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME HINTS TO DO IT...THANKS A LOT!

physics! - Damon, Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 7:39pm
The total force on the four tires is the weight of the car:
m g = 1160 * 9.8
Now do a see saw
You have m g down at 1.02 meters behind the front axle
You have 2Fb up at the rear tires,2.54 meters behind the front axle (I called it two Fb so I will not forget to divide by two to get each of the rear tires.)
take moments (torques) about the front axle
2Fb * 2.54 = m g * 1.02
solve that for Fb, the force on the back axle
then the total force up = total force down
so
2Fb + 2Ff = m g
You know mg and your know 2Fb so now you know 2Ff
divide 2Ff by two to get the force on each front wheel
divide Fb by two to get the force on each rear wheel
riddled with tpos :( - Damon, Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 7:47pm
The total force on the four tires is the weight of the car:
m g = 1160 * 9.8
Now do a see saw
You have m g down at 1.02 meters behind the front axle
You have 2Fb up at the rear tires,2.54 meters behind the front axle (I called it two Fb so I will not forget to divide by two to get each of the rear tires.)
take moments (torques) about the front axle
2Fb * 2.54 = m g * 1.02
solve that for 2Fb, the force on the back axle
then the total force up = total force down
so
2Fb + 2Ff = m g
You know mg and your know 2Fb so now you know 2Ff
divide 2Ff by two to get the force on each front wheel
divide 2Fb by two to get the force on each rear wheel

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