After the test, I kept thinking about that problem with the washing machine so I took a good look at the one I have at home. In a sense, the physics behind a washing machine is the same for that gravitron ride. The clothes push against the side of the machine, which results in a normal force pointing towards the middle. This normal force is also the centripetal force in the spinning action (and is equal to mass x centripetal acceleration). The holes on the side are for the water to leave at a tangent (because the water does not have enough force to keep it going in a circular motion). Also, because the motion is horizontal and not vertical, the centripetal force does not change throughout the motion. After seeing the real thing, answering the question seems a lot easier.
No comments:
Post a Comment