The curves on a race track are banked to make it easier for cars to go around the curves at high speed. Draw a free-body diagram of a car on a banked curve. From the motion diagram, find the direction of the acceleration.

Question

The acceleration is directed toward the center of the track.
The acceleration is in the direction the car is moving.
The acceleration is directed outward from the center of the track.

(a) What exerts the force in the direction of the acceleration?

(b) Can you have such a force without friction? (Explain.)

Answer 1

a. friction from the road
b. no, it would be like driveing on ice.