The Tornado is a carnival ride that consists of a hollow...

The Tornado is a carnival ride that consists of a hollow vertical cylinder that rotates rapidly about its vertical axis. As the Tornado rotates, the riders are pressed against the inside wall of the cylinder by the rotation, and the floor of the cylinder drops away. The force that points upward, preventing the riders from falling downward, is a) friction force. b) a normal force. c) gravity. d) a tension force.

The Tornado is a carnival ride that consists of a hollow vertical cylinder that rotates rapidly about its vertical axis. As the Tornado rotates, the riders are pressed against the inside wall of the cylinder by the rotation, and the floor of the cylinder drops away. The force that points upward, preventing the riders from falling downward, is
a) friction force.
b) a normal force.
c) gravity.
d) a tension force.

Key Concepts

Static Friction

Static friction is the resistive force that prevents relative motion between surfaces in contact. In the context of rotating systems, it can have a vertical component that counteracts gravity when an object is pressed against a surface. This friction keeps objects from slipping down when other supports (like a floor) are absent.

Normal Force

The normal force is a reactive force exerted by a surface perpendicular to the contact area. In circular motion situations, such as rotating rides, the normal force typically acts horizontally to change the direction of the moving object, providing the necessary centripetal force. However, it is not responsible for directly counteracting gravity in the vertical direction.

Gravitational Force

Gravitational force is the attractive force exerted by the Earth on all objects, which acts downward. In dynamics problems, gravity is the force that must usually be balanced by another upward force to prevent objects from accelerating downward, as seen when other supports, like a floor, are removed.

Centripetal Force

Centripetal force is the net force required to keep an object moving in a circular path by continuously changing its direction toward the center of the circle. In rotating systems, this force is provided by interactions like the normal force from a wall; however, while it is critical for maintaining circular motion, it does not contribute directly to supporting the object against gravity.

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