Question

A block is hung by a string from the inside roof of a van. When the van goes straight ahead at a speed of 28.9 m/s, the block hangs vertically down. But when the van maintains this same speed around an unbanked curve (radius = 144 m), the block swings toward the outside of the curve. Then the string makes an angle è with the vertical. Find è.

This is in a section above centipetal force and/or centripetal acceleration, if that helps.

F_c = mv^2/r
a_c = v^2 /r

Answer 1

Force down = m g
Force horizontal = m v^2/r
tan A = v^2/r / g
tan A = (28.9^2/144) / 9.81