Explanation
The centripetal force necessary to keep the racing car in its circular path is indeed provided by friction between the tires of the car and the track.
Concept:
When the car is moving in a circular path, it experiences an inward acceleration towards the center of the circle.
This acceleration is called the centripetal acceleration.
According to Newton's second law of motion, the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
In this case, the net force is the centripetal force, and the centripetal acceleration can be calculated using the formula:
a_c = v^2 / r
Where:
- a_c is the centripetal acceleration
- v is the speed of the car
- r is the radius of the circular track
Substituting the given values into the formula:
a_c = (50.0 m/s)^2 / 250 m
Simplifying the equation:
a_c = 2500 m^2/s^2 / 250 m
a_c = 10 m/s^2
The centripetal force required to keep the car in its circular path is equal to the product of the car's mass and the centripetal acceleration.
Using the given mass of the car:
F = (2.00 x 10^3 kg) * (10 m/s^2)
Simplifying the equation:
F = 2.00 x 10^4 N
Therefore, the centripetal force necessary to keep the car in its circular path is provided by friction and its value is 2.00 x 10^4 Newtons.