what keeps us up on a moving bicycle?

Answer 1

Conservation of angular momentum.

"When the net external torque acting on a system is zero, the total vector angular momentum of the system remains constant."

This means that if a wheel is spinning (in the absence of friction), it will keep on spinning (i.e., not tipping over) as long as no external torque is applied. In the case of a bicycle wheel, an external torque (a force) might be to push the bicycle from the side, thus causing the rider to fall.

Angular momentum is a vector quantity involving the "vector cross product" of tangential velocity (the spinning of the wheel) and the radial force (the spokes). It points in the horizontal direction of the wheel's axle. That is, it's perpendicular to the tangential velocity of the wheel's rim the spokes holding the wheel together.

Conservation of angular momentum is the same principle that maintains a spinning gyroscope and maintains the earth in the ecliptic plane as it revolves around the sun.

Answer 2

A bicycle is quite stable even without much of a sense of balance. The stability lies in the geometry of the front fork. Try walking a bicycle by holding on to the seat. If you tilt the bike to the left, the front wheel turns left and vice versa. This same action is what keeps you upright. When you start leaning left, the bike turns to the left to keep the wheels under you. This balance depends on your forward motion. The bike must be able to move the wheels under you quick enough to keep you from falling. This requires a certain minimum speed. That is why it is so difficult to ride a bicycle very slowly. When you try to ride very slowly, you need to provide the balance. Typically you end up moving the handlebars back and forth frantically trying to keep the wheels under you because the ordinary automatic action of the bike does not work at such low speed.

Answer 3

Gravitational force along with your Centre of Gravity keeps you moving on a bicycle. Gravitational force between the bicycle and the earth keeps it on the ground and there is also gravitational force between the bicycle and you. Your Centre of Gravity helps you to maintain a sense of balance so u dont fall off . Newton's 1st law, the law of inertia, could also be applied to this; once force is applied to the bicycle (by pedalling it) it will move and continue to move unless some other external force acts on it to stop it.......P.S. i hope this helps ([e-mail])

Answer 4

.gravitational force keeps up on a moving bicycle with body balance

Answer 5

Force of Inertia holds on the cycle as long as it is in align with the center of gravity of you and your cycle. When it goes misalign, you lose balance (or rather, try harder by giving ur strength to compensate it and bring it back in align or make it fall somewhere inbetween you and ur cycle's center of gravity). Thats why you cannt keep driving a cycle when both of you are tilted to one side. You either have to switch urself to the other end to nuetralize it or have to travel fast ehough to have the momentum support your cause.

Answer 6

our ability to keep our centre of gravity vertically above that of the bicycle, while pedalling..

Answer 7

sense of balance

Answer 8

gravitational force & friction

Answer 9

centripetal & ¢enrifugal force, it has to be equal allwyas

Answer 10

i think may be due to moment of inertia