Physics
A 15 kg child stands on the edge of a small merry-go-round of radius 2.0 m. If the merry-go- round turns at a steady rate of 11 rpm, calculate the magnitude and direction of the net force on the child.
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Answers
The magnitude of the net force on the child is varying. At the edges of the merry-go-round, the total force on the child is the force of the child's gravity downwards and the centrifugal force of the merry-go-round pushing outwards. These two forces are equal and opposite, thus canceling each other out and producing a net force of zero on the child. As the child moves from the edge towards the center of the merry-go-round, however, the magnitude of the centrifugal force decreases, while the magnitude of the gravitational force remains constant. Thus, the net force on the child is downwards towards the center of the merry-go-round.
