hey guys...i kinda somewhere in my brain know how to do this question and it has to do with centripetal and centrifugal forces...
the question: Explain why curved railway tracks are usually banked towards the inside of the curve? and I'm supposed to use a force vector diagram to illustrate
some help would be much appreciated
Thankyou sooooo much in advance
Hey mq123,
The train tracks are usually banked (on a curve), as fast moving trains has a great amount of Inertia, it tends to move tangentially off the track (contrifugal force), however, when the tracks are banked, it produces the necessary amount of centripetal force to keep the train moving in the curvature at the same speed. Friction can't provide the required amount of Centripetal force, and thus, the tracks must be banked for the reason being.
The vertical forces (Normal and Gravitation force) balances out the weight, while the Horizontal forces will provide the necessary centripetal force.
Your vector diagram would look like:
Net force (centripetal force) facing towards the center of the curvature.
Normal force facing directly vertical from the banked curve (on a tilt)
Gravitation force facing directly downwards