Banked track – with friction (find maximum/minimum speed or friction coefficient)

A vehicle moves on a banked circular track where friction acts; find the maximum or minimum speed without slipping, or the coefficient of friction.

11 questions · Standard +0.7

6.05c Horizontal circles: conical pendulum, banked tracks
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Edexcel M3 2016 January Q3
9 marks Standard +0.8
3. A car of mass 800 kg is driven at constant speed \(v \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) round a bend in a race track. Around the bend, the track is banked at \(20 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal and the path followed by the car can be modelled as a horizontal circle of radius 20 m . The car is modelled as a particle. The coefficient of friction between the car tyres and the track is 0.5 Given that the tyres do not slip sideways on the track, find the maximum value of \(v\).
Edexcel M3 2017 June Q6
13 marks Standard +0.3
6. The path followed by a motorcycle round a circular race track is modelled as a horizontal circle of radius 50 m . The track is banked at an angle \(\theta\) to the horizontal, where \(\sin \theta = \frac { 3 } { 5 }\). The motorcycle travels round the track at constant speed. The motorcycle is modelled as a particle and air resistance can be ignored. In an initial model it is assumed that there is no sideways friction between the motorcycle tyres and the track.
  1. Find the speed, in \(\mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\), of the motorcycle. In a refined model it is assumed that there is sideways friction. The coefficient of friction between the motorcycle tyres and the track is \(\frac { 1 } { 4 }\). It is still assumed that air resistance can be ignored and that the motorcycle is modelled as a particle. The motorcycle's path is unchanged. Using this model,
  2. find the maximum speed, in \(\mathrm { m } \mathrm { s } ^ { - 1 }\), at which the motorcycle can travel without slipping sideways.
Edexcel M3 2023 June Q4
12 marks Standard +0.3
4. \begin{figure}[h]
\includegraphics[alt={},max width=\textwidth]{dceb2432-117c-40fe-bf3d-782beeb42e41-12_360_1004_246_534} \captionsetup{labelformat=empty} \caption{Figure 4}
\end{figure} A car is travelling round a circular track. The track is banked at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal, as shown in Figure 4. The car and driver are modelled as a particle.
The car moves round the track with constant speed in a horizontal circle of radius \(r\).
When the car is moving with speed \(\frac { 1 } { 2 } \sqrt { g r }\) round the circle, there is no sideways friction between the tyres of the car and the track.
  1. Show that \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 1 } { 4 }\) The sideways friction between the tyres of the car and the track has coefficient of friction \(\mu\), where \(\mu < 4\) The maximum speed at which the car can move round the circle without slipping sideways is \(V\).
  2. Find \(V\) in terms of \(\mu , r\) and \(g\).
Edexcel M3 2008 January Q5
12 marks Standard +0.8
5. A car of mass \(m\) moves in a circular path of radius 75 m round a bend in a road. The maximum speed at which it can move without slipping sideways on the road is \(21 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). Given that this section of the road is horizontal,
  1. show that the coefficient of friction between the car and the road is 0.6 . The car comes to another bend in the road. The car's path now forms an arc of a horizontal circle of radius 44 m . The road is banked at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal, where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 3 } { 4 }\). The coefficient of friction between the car and the road is again 0.6. The car moves at its maximum speed without slipping sideways.
  2. Find, as a multiple of \(m g\), the normal reaction between the car and road as the car moves round this bend.
  3. Find the speed of the car as it goes round this bend.
Edexcel M3 2010 January Q6
14 marks Standard +0.3
6. A bend of a race track is modelled as an arc of a horizontal circle of radius 120 m . The track is not banked at the bend. The maximum speed at which a motorcycle can be ridden round the bend without slipping sideways is \(28 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). The motorcycle and its rider are modelled as a particle and air resistance is assumed to be negligible.
  1. Show that the coefficient of friction between the motorcycle and the track is \(\frac { 2 } { 3 }\). The bend is now reconstructed so that the track is banked at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal. The maximum speed at which the motorcycle can now be ridden round the bend without slipping sideways is \(35 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\). The radius of the bend and the coefficient of friction between the motorcycle and the track are unchanged.
  2. Find the value of \(\tan \alpha\).
Edexcel M3 Q5
12 marks Standard +0.8
5. A cyclist is travelling around a circular track which is banked at \(25 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. The coefficient of friction between the cycle's tyres and the track is 0.6 . The cyclist moves with constant speed in a horizontal circle of radius 40 m , without the tyres slipping. Find the maximum speed of the cyclist.
Edexcel M3 Q6
13 marks Standard +0.8
6. A car is travelling on a horizontal racetrack round a circular bend of radius 40 m . The coefficient of friction between the car and the road is \(\frac { 2 } { 5 }\).
  1. Find the maximum speed at which the car can travel round the bend without slipping, giving your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
    (5 marks)
    The owner of the track decides to bank the corner at an angle of \(25 ^ { \circ }\) in order to enable the cars to travel more quickly.
  2. Show that this increases the maximum speed at which the car can travel round the bend without slipping by 63\%, correct to the nearest whole number.
    (8 marks)
Edexcel M3 Q7
18 marks Standard +0.8
7. A cyclist is travelling round a circular bend of radius 25 m on a track which is banked at an angle of \(35 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal. In a model of the situation, the cyclist and her bicycle are represented by a particle of mass 60 kg and air resistance and friction are ignored. Using this model and assuming that the cyclist is not slipping,
  1. find, correct to 3 significant figures, the speed at which she is travelling. In tests it is found that the cyclist must travel at a minimum speed of \(10 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) to prevent the bicycle from slipping down the slope. A more refined model is now used with a coefficient of friction between the bicycle and the track of \(\mu\). Using this model,
  2. show that \(\mu = 0.227\), correct to 3 significant figures,
  3. find, correct to 2 significant figures, the maximum speed at which the cyclist can travel without slipping up the slope. END
Edexcel FM2 AS 2022 June Q3
11 marks Standard +0.8
  1. A cyclist is travelling around a circular track which is banked at an angle \(\alpha\) to the horizontal, where \(\tan \alpha = \frac { 3 } { 4 }\)
The cyclist moves with constant speed in a horizontal circle of radius \(r\).
In an initial model,
  • the cyclist and her cycle are modelled as a particle
  • the track is modelled as being rough so that there is sideways friction between the tyres of the cycle and the track, with coefficient of friction \(\mu\), where \(\mu < \frac { 4 } { 3 }\) Using this model, the maximum speed that the cyclist can travel around the track in a horizontal circle of radius \(r\), without slipping sideways, is \(V\).
    1. Show that \(V = \sqrt { \frac { ( 3 + 4 \mu ) r g } { 4 - 3 \mu } }\)
In a new simplified model,
  • the cyclist and her cycle are modelled as a particle
  • the motion is now modelled so that there is no sideways friction between the tyres of the cycle and the track
Using this new model, the speed that the cyclist can travel around the track in a horizontal circle of radius \(r\), without slipping sideways, is \(U\).
  • Find \(U\) in terms of \(r\) and \(g\).
  • Show that \(U < V\).
  • Edexcel FM2 AS 2023 June Q3
    9 marks Standard +0.8
    1. A girl is cycling round a circular track.
    The girl and her bicycle have a combined mass of 55 kg .
    The coefficient of friction between the track surface and the tyres of the bicycle is \(\mu\).
    The track is banked at an angle of \(15 ^ { \circ }\) to the horizontal.
    The girl and her bicycle are modelled as a particle moving in a horizontal circle of radius 50 m
    The minimum speed at which the girl can cycle round this circle without slipping is \(4.5 \mathrm {~m} \mathrm {~s} ^ { - 1 }\) Using the model, find the value of \(\mu\).
    Edexcel M3 2002 January Q5
    10 marks Challenging +1.2
    A cyclist is travelling around a circular track which is banked at 25° to the horizontal. The coefficient of friction between the cycle's tyres and the track is 0.6. The cyclist moves with constant speed in a horizontal circle of radius 40 m, without the tyres slipping. Find the maximum speed of the cyclist. [10]