For a car to take a banked curve safely without relying on friction, the correct banking angle depends on
- A. the mass of the car only
- B. the speed and the radius of the curve
- C. the weight of the passengers
- D. the width of the road
Explanation
Setting the horizontal component of the normal force equal to mv squared over r gives tan theta equal to v squared over rg, and the mass cancels completely. That is why a banked track works equally well for a light car and a loaded truck at the same design speed. The angle is correct for one speed only, with friction covering the difference at others.
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