ENGINEERING MECHANICS II ASSN #2

Normal and Tangential Acceleration

Question 1 The materials in the tubes of a centrifuge rotates at 450 rpm and at a radius of 8 inches.
Determine the normal acceleration acting on this material in ft/s2.
Ans: an = 1480 ft/s2

Question 2 A municipal water treatment plant is solids testing a water sample with a centrifuge. The
sample container travels in an 8 inch diameter circle. What constant angular velocity in
rad/sec is necessary to maintain a normal acceleration equal to 300 times that of gravity?

Question 3 In a blatantly stupid Youtube gag video, a 5 foot diameter merry-go-round is accelerated using
a motorcycle’s rear wheel from rest to 180 rpm in 5 seconds (and subsequently tossing the
riders off like rag dolls). Determine the normal, tangential and total acceleration at the outer
rim when t = 5 seconds. Psst… Don’t try this a home. (2)

Question 4 Calculate the normal, tangential and total acceleration of the outermost ride of a kid’s carousel
that has a ride track of 25 feet in diameter, and accelerates from rest to a turning speed of 5
rpm in 30 seconds just as it reaches full speed. (2)

Kinetics and Inertia

Question 5 A 15 kg block of ice slides on a horizontal surface for 20m before it stops. If the initial speed of
the block was 15 m/s, determine:
a) The force of friction between the block of ice and the surface.
b) The coefficient of friction between the block of ice and the surface.
Ans: F =84.4N, f = 0.573

Question 6 Determine the acceleration of a moving elevator so that a mass of 75 kg exerts a force of 850
N upon its floor.

Question 7 An 80 kg skydiver is falling at 85 m/s when she opens her parachute. If her velocity is reduced
to 5 m/s during the next 60m of fall, determine the deceleration and force exerted on her body
by the parachute during this interval.
Ans: a = -60m/s, F = 5580N

Question 8 A 1300 kg car traveling at 100 kph decelerates at a constant rate and comes to a stop over a
distance of 35m. Determine the minimum coefficient of friction between the pavement and the
cars tires.