2007-11-07 14:43:39 · 12 answers · asked by kiwi 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Wow, lot'sa mistaken people on this one. The guy who got the "A" in 7th grade is right. The force that holds the rider on the carnival ride acts towards the center.
Assume you are being held onto the ride by a wire from the center to your seat. First thing you notice is the wire is in tension. It is pulling on your seat keeping you from flying off. It is pulling towards the center. Second, if the wire breaks, you go flying out. Therefore, the wire had been pulling you inward, and now that it is broken, it no longer can.
2007-11-07 15:49:12 · answer #1 · answered by Frst Grade Rocks! Ω 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This can be somewhat of a tricky question. The "force" felt by the rider pushing him away from the center of revolution is actually fictitious or "virtual", since it is being perceived in an non-inertial (or accelerating) coordinate system. This is called centrifugal force. The force acting on the rider to accelerate him/her towards the center of revolution, thus keeping on the ride, is termed centripetal force. So this is your answer -- the centripetal force acting towards the center keeps the rider on the ride. In an inertial (or non-accelerating) coordinate system, centrifugal force can be seen as simply the result of a change in inertia of the object or rider and, as mentioned above, isn't a true force.
2007-11-07 22:46:47 · answer #2 · answered by John 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
If you are talking about the vertical wheel or roller coaster,
the centrifugal force throws you out(away from the center). What holds you in the seat is the force exerted by the belt around you (or the seat surface itself if you are seated inside the wheel) which is the one that exerts a force equal to the cetripetal force( this in turn is passed on to the wheel frame or hub) opposite to the direction of the centrifugal, that's towards the center. They both cancel out and you stay in seat until you come down with dizzy head.
In the case of a ride on a horizontal circle, the centrifugal force will throw you outward(away from the center) and you feel it just like you do when you are riding in a car at 60mph around a sharp corner. In this case, the bucket will tilt away from the center with your weight in it and the horizontal component of the total weight of 'you plus the bucket' ( the centripetal force which is passed on to the frame of the riding wheel hub) is what compensates for the centrifugal force and acts towards the center, and you happily go round and round.
2007-11-07 23:11:03 · answer #3 · answered by stvenryn 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Centripetal force is toward the center
Centrifugal Force is Away from the center
2007-11-07 22:50:23 · answer #4 · answered by StopPanda 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The force acts away from the centre.
If you assume the force acts towards the centre this means the rider would go flying in the air :)
2007-11-07 22:47:51 · answer #5 · answered by record_albums 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It acts toward the center. For example, when you spin a weight on the string around in circles, its your hold on the string that stops the weight from flying away.
2007-11-07 22:49:06 · answer #6 · answered by Laika 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Away. If you think of most of these rides they spin pushing the riders to the outside of the ride. If a roller coaster has a loop if you were pushed to the middle you would fall out. Centrifugal force keeps you in place.
2007-11-07 22:48:14 · answer #7 · answered by southern.bell_ny 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
im not entirely sure what your asking, BUT, it sounds like your talking about Centrifugal(spelling?) force.
Centrifugal force acts from the center of the ride typically, thats why many rides are designed so that the unit you sit in swings out and you become parallel to the ground.
If its not centrifugal force, you may want to clarify.
2007-11-07 22:47:34 · answer #8 · answered by dr.kayoz 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
centrifugal force...acts away from the middle.
2007-11-07 22:45:40 · answer #9 · answered by Hall + Oates 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
acts away from the middle.
2007-11-07 22:46:04 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋