Q.

A coin placed on a horizontal rotating disc, with its centre at 10 cm from the centre
of the disc, is just about to slip off the disc when the disc performs 60 rotations per
minute. Find the coefficient of friction between the coin and the disc.
Solution:
Data: r = 10 cm = 0.1 m, f= 60 rpm = 1 Hz, g = 9.8 m / s 2
The centripetal force for the circular motion of the coin is provided by the friction between the
coin and the disc. The coin is just about to slip off the disc when the limiting force of friction is
equal to the centripetal force.
m 2
  s mg =
r
 The coefficient of friction,
2 (r ) 2
s =
rg rg
 2r (2  f) 2  r
 = (  = 2 f )
g g
4 2 f 2 r 4 x (3.142) 2 x 1 x 0.1
 =
g 9.8
 0.4029
Q. A circular turn on a racing track has a radius of 150m. What must be the banking
angle if the optimum speed for negotiating the turn is to be 108 kmph?
Solution:
5
Data:  = 108 kmph = 108 x m/s = 30 m/s,
18
r= 150 m, g =9.8 m/s 2
2
tan  =
rg
(30) 2 900
=
(150)(9.8) 150 x 9.8
= 0.6124
The required angle of banking,
-1
 = tan (0.6124) = 31 0 29 '

Q. Calculate the optimum speed with which a car can be safely driven along a circular
road of radius 50 m banked at 30° with the horizontal.
Solution:
Data: r = 50 m,  = 30 0 , g = 9.8 m/s 2 , tan 30 0 = 0.5774
The optimum speed of a car on the banked road is
 opt = rg tan 

= 50 x 9.8 x 0.5774
= 282.9
= 16.82 m/s

Q. A motorcyclist at a speed of 5 m/s is describing a circle of radius 25 m. Find his

inclination with the vertical. What is the value of the coefficient of friction between the
tyres and ground?
Solution:
Data:  = 5 m/s, r = 25 m, g = 9.8 m/s 2
2 2
Solution:
Data:  = 5 m/s, r = 25 m, g = 9.8 m/s 2
2 (5) 2 1
(i) tan  = = = = 0.1021
rg 25 x 9.8 9.8
-1
  = tan 0.1021 = 5 o 50 ' (inclination with the vertical )
m 2
(ii) =  s mg
r
where  s is the coefficient of friction.
2
 s = = 0.1021
rg

Q. A motorcyclist rounds a curve of radius 25 m at 36 km/h. The combined mass of the

motorcycle and the man is 150kg. (i) What is the centripetal force exerted on the
motorcyclist? (ii) What is the upward force exerted on the motorcyclist?
Solution:
5
Data: r = 25 m,  = 36 km/h=36 x m/s=10 m/s, m = 150 kg, g = 9.8 m/s 2
18
m 2 150 x (10) 2
(i) Centripetal force, F = =
r 25
= 600 N
(ii) Upward force = mg = 150 x 9.8 = 1470 N

Q. A car of mass 1500 kg rounds a curve of radius 250m at 90 km/hour. Calculate the
centripetal force acting on it.
Solution:
Data: m = 1500 kg, r = 250 m,
90  10 3 m
 = 90 km / hour = = 25 m / s
3600 s

m 2 1500 x (25) 2
Centripetal force, F = =
r 250
= 150 x 25
= 3750 N
Q. On a dry day, the maximum safe speed at which a car can be driven on a curved
horizontal road without skidding is 7 m/s. When the road is wet, the frictional force
between the tyres and road reduces by 25%. How fast can the car safely take the turn
on the wet road?
Solution:
Let subscripts 1 and 2 denote the values of a quantity under dry and wet conditions,
respectively.
Data: 1 = 7 m/s, f2 =f1 - 0.25, f1 = 0.75 f1
On a dry horizontal curved road, the frictional force between the tyres and road is
f1 = 1mg, where m is the mass of the car and g is the gravitational acceleration.
The maximum safe speed for taking a turn of radius r on a dry horizontal curved road is
r
1 =  1 rg = f1
m
If the road is wet, the corresponding quantities are
r
f 2
=  2 mg and  2 = f2
m
Thus, for m and r remaining the same,
If the road is wet, the corresponding quantities are
r
f 2
=  2 mg and  2 = f2
m
Thus, for m and r remaining the same,
1 f1
=
2 f 2

f 2 0.75 f 1
2 = . 1 = .(7)
f1 f1
= 7 0.75 = 7 x 0.866 = 6.062 m/s

Q. The two rails of a broad-gauge railway track are 1.68 m apart. At a circular curve of
radius 1.6 km, the outer rail is raised relative to the inner rail by 8.4 cm. Find the
angle of banking of the track and the optimum speed of a train rounding the curve.
Solution:
Data: l = 1.68 m = 168 cm, r = 1.6 km = 1600 m,
h =8.4 cm g =9.8 m/s 2
(1) If  is the banking angle,
h 8.4
sin  = = = 0.05
l 168
  = 2 o 52'
2
(2) tan  =
rg
  2 = rg tan 
= (1600)(9.8) tan 2 o 52 '
= 1600  9.8  0.0501
= 785.4
 The optimum speed  = 785.4
 28.03 m/s (or 100.9 kmph)

Q. A metre gauge railway track is to be banked at a circular curve of radius 450 m.

What should be the elevation of the outer rail above the inner rail for an optimum
speed of 54 kmph so that there is no side thrust on the outer rail?
Solution:
5
Data : r = 450 m,  = 54 kmph = 54 x m / s = 15 m / s,
18
g = 9.8 m /s 2, l = 1 m
2
tan =
rg
(15) 2 1
= = = 0.05102
450 x 9.8 19.6
 The required angle of banking,
 = tan - 1 (0.05102) = 2 o 55 '
If h is the elevation of the outer rail relative to the inner rail,
h = l sin 
= (1) (sin 2 o 55 ' ) = 0.0509 m or 5.09 cm

Q. A motor van weighing 4400 kg (i.e., a motor van of mass 4400 kg) rounds a level
curve of radius 200 m on an unbanked road at 60 km/h. What should be the minimum
Q. A motor van weighing 4400 kg (i.e., a motor van of mass 4400 kg) rounds a level
curve of radius 200 m on an unbanked road at 60 km/h. What should be the minimum
value of the coefficient of friction to prevent skidding? At what angle should the road
be banked for this velocity?
Solution:
Data: m = 4400 kg, r = 200 m,
5 50
 = 60 km/h = 60  m/s = m/s,
18 3
g = 9.8 m/s 2
m 2
(i) =  smg
r
 The minimum value of the coefficient of friction is
2 (50 / 3) 2 25
s = = =
rg 200  9.8 18  9.8
= 0.1417
2
(ii) tan  = = 0.1417
rg
 The angle of banking,  = tan -1 0.1417
= 8 o 4'
[Note: In part (ii),  is to be taken as the optimum speed.]