A helium-filled balloon is tied to the floor of a car that makes a sharp right turn.
Does the balloon tilt while the turn is made? If so, which way?
2007-08-12 21:27:25 · 5 answers · asked by jarun_nager 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Yes If the car is not a convertible with the top down, the air will turn with the care but compressed to the left side of the car causing some motion . The inertial mass of the balloon will cause it to travel left as well
2007-08-12 21:32:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
The balloon will move in the same direction as the car - to the right that is. Here is why:
When a car accelerates forward, everything in the car "tries" to keep from accelerating. This is called inertia. The more mass an object has, the more inertia it feels. Inertia causes you, and everything else, to feel pushed toward the back of the car. Even the air and the balloon feel pushed
back.
Helium is the lightest material, so it feels the least inertia.
Since the air, and everything else in the car feel more inertia than the balloon, the balloon gets pushed out of the air's way by moving forward.
This is the same concept with corners.
2007-08-12 22:14:01 · answer #2 · answered by iqof300 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Tilting to the right is the correct answer. Why?
I think the simplest answer is directly from Einstein's first principle of general relativity: An acceleration is indistinguishable from a gravitational pull.
The situation of a car making a sharp right turn is almost identical to a stationary car on a level surface where the two right wheels have been jacked up by a foot or two. Which way does the balloon tilt in this latter case??
2007-08-13 18:15:52 · answer #3 · answered by Tom H 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The balloon leans to the right (into the bend).
Helium is less dense than the surrounding air. Everything will tend to continue in a straight line, due to its inertia. The edge of the car will apply a centripetal force to keep objects moving in a circle.
As the air is more dense than the helium, and thus has more inertia, it will reach the sides of the car first. This air will push (apply a pressure) to the helium balloon, that gives it its centripetal force.
Similarly, the balloon would lean towards the front of the car when it accelerates, and towards the back when it brakes...
Cheers,
Ben
2007-08-12 22:22:15 · answer #4 · answered by beonny1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it will tilt to the left (opposite direction). Unless it has zero mass, it will be affected by inertia.
2007-08-12 21:38:38 · answer #5 · answered by Swamy 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋