There is a bicycle wheel resting against a small step whose height is h = 0.132 m. The weight and radius of the wheel are W = 27.3 N and r = 0.324 m, respectively. A horizontal force is applied to the axle of the wheel. As the magnitude of increases, there comes a time when the wheel just begins to rise up and loses contact with the ground. What is the magnitude of the force when this happens?
To find the magnitude of the force when the wheel just begins to rise up and loses contact with the ground, we need to consider the equilibrium condition at that point.
When the wheel loses contact with the ground, the normal force between the wheel and the step becomes zero. The only two forces acting on the wheel in the vertical direction are the weight (W) and the force applied on the axle (F).
We can set up the equation for vertical equilibrium as:
F - W = 0
Solving for the force (F), we get:
F = W
In this case, the magnitude of the force when the wheel just begins to rise up and loses contact with the ground is 27.3 N.