Re: pinhole coefficient of friction, mass, and driving up a hill

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From: Steven Eiger (eiger@montana.edu)
Date: Tue Dec 18 2001 - 10:55:43 PST 

Message-Id: <l03102800b845412cebf2@[153.90.150.107]>
Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 11:55:43 -0700
From: Steven Eiger <eiger@montana.edu>
Subject: Re: pinhole coefficient of friction, mass, and driving up a hill

It is the distribution of mass that is important, it is hilarious to watch
a rear wheel drive Corvette with all its weight over the front wheels try
to drive on snow, here in Bozeman all such cars are garaged over the
winter. You want weight over the wheels that are doing the pushing. Eiger

>I was asked why people are told by mechanics that, on
>snowy days, they should put a lot of mass in the back
>of their truck if they want to go up a slippery hill.
>All simplified, high school physics problems show that
>mass cancels out when finding acceleration due to
>friction. How is this reconciled with real life? Is
>it mass distribution that matters? Total mass? And
>why?
>Thank you for your help. This will help settle a
>passionate lunch dispute!
>--Debbie
>

Steven Eiger, Ph.D.

Department of Cell Biology and Neuroscience and the WWAMI Medical Education
Program
PO Box 173148
Montana State University - Bozeman
Bozeman, MT 59717-3148

Voice: (406) 994-5672
E-mail: eiger@montana.edu
FAX: (406) 994-7077

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