*50. Air rushing over the wings of high-performance race cars generates unwanted horizontal air resistance but also causes a vertical downforce, which helps the cars hug the track more securely. The coefficient of static friction between the track and the tires of a

690-kg race car is 0.87. What is the magnitude of the maximum acceleration at which the car can speed up without its tires slipping when a 4060-N downforce and an 1190-N horizontal-air-resistance force act on it?

Since we do not expect the car to move vertically.  Solving for N gives us

 

 

Solving for ax

ax is max when fs is max.

 

 

 

 

 

Please send any comments or questions about this page to ddonovan@nmu.edu

This page last updated on January 11, 2020