I have some trouble starting the problem. I don't know what equations to start off with or where to start off and end with.
Would I use the equation Ac = RW^2 or the sum of Fc = m x (Vt^2/R)?
A ferris wheel rotates by 2 m/s. The radius is 15 meter. Find the apparent weight of a 60 kg person at the top and the bottom/low part of the wheel.
To find the apparent weight of a person at the top and bottom of the ferris wheel, we can use the equation: Fc = m x (Vt^2/R), where Fc is the centripetal force, m is the mass of the person, Vt is the tangential velocity, and R is the radius of the wheel.
To start solving the problem, we can first calculate the tangential velocity at the top and bottom of the ferris wheel. Since we know the rotational speed is 2 m/s, we can assume that the tangential velocity is the same as the rotational speed at any point on the wheel.
So, Vt = 2 m/s.
Now, we can use the equation Fc = m x (Vt^2/R) to find the centripetal force at the top and bottom of the wheel.
For the top of the wheel:
- Fc = m x (Vt^2/R)
- Fc = 60 kg x (2 m/s)^2 / 15 m
Simplify the equation to find the centripetal force at the top.
For the bottom of the wheel:
- Fc = m x (Vt^2/R)
- Fc = 60 kg x (2 m/s)^2 / 15 m
Simplify the equation to find the centripetal force at the bottom.
To find the apparent weight, we need to consider the normal force acting on the person. The apparent weight is the difference between the gravitational force and the normal force. At the top of the wheel, the normal force is greater than the gravitational force, so the apparent weight is greater than the person's actual weight. At the bottom of the wheel, the normal force is smaller than the gravitational force, so the apparent weight is smaller than the person's actual weight.