A roller coaster car moves in a vertical circle of radius R. At the top of the circle the car has speed v1, and at the bottom of the circle it has speed v2, where v2 > v1. Suppose that v2 is in the +x-direction, and +y-axis is directed upward. a. When the car is at the top of its circular path, what is the direction of its radial acceleration, arad,top? The direction angle βtop of the radial acceleration arad,top is measured from the +x-direction toward the +y-direction. b. When the car is at the bottom of its circular path, what is the direction of its radial acceleration, arad,bottom? The direction angle βbottom of the radial acceleration arad,bottom is measured from the +x-

College Physics
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Author:Raymond A. Serway, Chris Vuille
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Chapter7: Rotational Motion And Gravitation
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A roller coaster car moves in a vertical circle of radius R. At the top of the circle the car has speed v1, and at the bottom of the circle it has speed v2, where v2 > v1. Suppose that v2 is in the +x-direction, and +y-axis is directed upward.

a. When the car is at the top of its circular path, what is the direction of its radial acceleration, arad,top? The direction angle βtop of the radial acceleration arad,top is measured from the +x-direction toward the +y-direction.

b. When the car is at the bottom of its circular path, what is the direction of its radial acceleration, arad,bottom? The direction angle βbottom of the radial acceleration arad,bottom is measured from the +x-direction toward the +y-direction.

c. In terms of v1 and v2, what is the ratio arad,bottom / arad,top?

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