The total area of contact between the tires of a racing bicycle and the road is 1.5 square inches. The bicycle and its rider weigh 171 pounds. What is the air pressure inside its tires?
To calculate the air pressure inside the tires, we need to use the formula for pressure:
Pressure = Force/Area
First, we need to calculate the force exerted by the weight of the bicycle and its rider. The force can be calculated using the equation:
Force = mass * acceleration due to gravity
Given that the weight is 171 pounds, we need to convert it to mass by dividing it by the acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 32.2 ft/s^2:
Mass = Weight / Acceleration due to gravity
Mass = 171 pounds / 32.2 ft/s^2
Once we have the mass, we can calculate the force:
Force = Mass * Acceleration due to gravity
Next, we need to calculate the pressure by dividing the force by the area of contact between the tires and the road:
Pressure = Force / Area
Given that the total area of contact is 1.5 square inches, we can now substitute the values into the equation:
Pressure = Force / 1.5 square inches
By calculating the force using the weight, converting it to mass, and substituting the values into the equation, we can determine the air pressure inside the bicycle tires.