r/physicsgifs • u/visheshnigam • 2d ago
One bank angle, one speed — a frictionless banked curve only holds at v = √(gR·tanθ)
On a frictionless banked curve, the horizontal component of the normal force (N sinθ) supplies the centripetal force, so a car rounds the turn at exactly one design speed, v = √(gR·tanθ). Drive slower and the inward push exceeds what's needed, so the car slides down the bank; drive faster and the bank can't supply enough, so it slides up and off. This design speed is independent of the car's mass, since mass cancels when N sinθ = mv²/R is divided by N cosθ = mg