ATAR Notes: Forum
VCE Stuff => VCE Science => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE Physics => Topic started by: tolga on December 28, 2009, 12:03:48 am
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As the car turns towards the left, a passenger desvribes the effect as being thrown across towards the right side of the cabin. What has actually happened?
The answer says her natural tendency has been to travel forwards at a tangent owing to inertia. The car has turned to the left, giving the illusion she has been thrown to the right.
I don't underdtand what it means by tangent owing to inertia and also the illusion she has been thrown to the right
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kk
Think about it like this.
You're driving along in a straight line like this
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and then the car turns to the right and goes like this:
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BUT you're still travelling in the old direction ----------------
A FORCE HAS TO TURN YOU in the other direction. The force that does that can be from the car door pressing on you as you make the turn.
Remember the first law that says "in the absence of force, a body either is at rest or moves in a straight line with constant speed."
The body (you) is travelling at (relatively) constant speed in that direction until the car door acts on you to change your direction (and velocity).
Hope that was of help :)