For my physics class, I am doing a project in which I am studying circular motion. I took video of a ride called the whip in which the car accelerates around a semi-circular end of the track in essence "whipping" you around the track. My question what forces would be acting upon the car. I think in this case I am using myself as the object so what forces would I need to show are acting upon me. As of right now I only have a centripetal force, but I am not sure specifically what force that would be.
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trueprober's answer of "centrifugal force" is only true if you analyze your motion in the frame of your car. This is a non-inertial frame in which your acceleration is zero, and in which Newton's First Law is invalid. I strongly recommend that you do NOT analyze your motion is such a frame, as it involves making up forces that don't really exist (i.e., the "centrifugal force").
There will be a downward gravitational force on you. If the Whip is horizontal, then there will be an upward normal force on you from the seat bottom. These two forces add to zero, as your vertical acceleration is zero. There will also be a horizontal force toward the center of the Whip, probably a normal force from the seat back (I'm not familiar with the ride).
Since that normal force from the seat back is the only force toward the center, I suppose you could call it the centripetal force. (I wouldn't call it that, because I never call any force the "centripetal force". I think the term causes confusion and has no otherwise redeeming benefits.) I'd just say the net force toward the center causes an acceleration toward the center. That makes circular motion problems just like any other Newton's Second Law problems. The only thing "special" about them is that you know how to calculate the acceleration, v²/r.
There will be a downward gravitational force on you. If the Whip is horizontal, then there will be an upward normal force on you from the seat bottom. These two forces add to zero, as your vertical acceleration is zero. There will also be a horizontal force toward the center of the Whip, probably a normal force from the seat back (I'm not familiar with the ride).
Since that normal force from the seat back is the only force toward the center, I suppose you could call it the centripetal force. (I wouldn't call it that, because I never call any force the "centripetal force". I think the term causes confusion and has no otherwise redeeming benefits.) I'd just say the net force toward the center causes an acceleration toward the center. That makes circular motion problems just like any other Newton's Second Law problems. The only thing "special" about them is that you know how to calculate the acceleration, v²/r.
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You're welcome. I'm glad to help.
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Hello ilovecrew2013, the force acting on you will be the centrifugal force and not centripetal force. Of course centripetal force is the necessary force to keep the moving body in a curved track. But due to inertia of motion, you will be pushed away from the centre of the curved path. That force is known to be Centrifugal Force.