Physics Question pt. 3

Question

I'm really struggling with this problem. If anyone could help me out with this it would be greatly appreciated:

3.) A student of weight 657 N rides a steadily rotating Ferris wheel (the student sits upright). At the highest point, the magnitude of the normal force Upper F(Normal) on the student from the seat is 599 N. (a) What is the magnitude of Upper F(Normal) at the lowest point? If the wheel's speed is doubled, what is the magnitude FN at the (b) highest and (c) lowest point?

 

Thanks

Answer 1

In this problem you are going to use the centripetal force. When he is sitting in the top Force due to gravity is 657N downwards  and the normal is 599upwards.So  the net force which is towards downwards is 58N and this is the centripetal force. At the lowest point the force due to gravity is the same 657N but the normal should be 58N more than the force due to gravity .  So the normal at the bottom is 717N.

 

When the speed is doubled , the centripetal force is increased by 4times so the new one is 232N

 

So the Normal at the top is 657-232=425N   and at the bottom Normal is 657+232=889N

 

Hope this helps