Centripetal Force (or how I survived dead man’s curve)

So you wanna go fast, you say? Not a good idea: although the Shore Pkwy does boast a "banked" curve, we'll attempt to calculate the max speed with which we can take the curve (assuming it's flat). Let's estimate the radius at 200'. We’ll assume there is a static friction coefficient of 0.75 between the concrete and your tires (dry, clear weather).

Professor Nemo

So we look to Newton’s laws (yet again) to help us:

SF = mv²/r (the only acceleration present is centripetal, "center-facing", acceleration)

f_s = mv²/r

m_sF_n = mv²/r

m_s(mg) = mv²/r

m_sg = v²/r

or,

v² = (m_sg)r

That means v² = (0.75)(32.2 ft/s²)(200 ft)

or v = 69.4 ft/s = 47.4 mph. So the good Professor is in the salad.

Well, the radius is only an estimate. And the road IS banked. But once it rains the coefficient will lower to about 0.6, and in icy conditions it can be as low as 0.15 or less!! See what you get for a tangential velocity then…and safe driving!