PLEASE HELP!

[candice]

Hi!

Im doing a physics project that i want desperately to do well in - I investigated how the width, height and weight affected the probability of tipping over.

This topic was inspired by riding a motorbike on a slope and wondering why It did not roll.

After investigating the topic I came up with the following conclutions:

As the height of an object increases, the angle of the slope reached before tipping over decreases.

As the width of an object increases, tha angle of the slope reached before tipping over increases.

As the weight of an object increases, the angle of the slope reached before tipping over decreases.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE help me explain why this has occurred! I would like to give a detailed analysis of why what I investigated happens.
I think it has something to do with the centre of gravity. PLEASE HELP!

I really would appreciate an easily understandible explanation

[Fu-Kwun Hwang]

Try to find out the center of gravity of the object.
You may be able to find out the stable condition for the object.
(Or study the chapter about "statuic equilibrium".)
:-)

[candice]

Hi!

Thanks for the reply!

How do you find the centre of gravity of the object?
Seeing as the objects are rectangular, would it just be the centre of the rectangle? If this is true then I can attach a piece of string to that centre and thus confirm that the object tips over when the centre of gravity exceeds the base.

Thats what I have been able to find out so far, however I need a detailed explanation as to WHY it tips over when the centre of gravity exceeds the base. Please help!

Also I was wondering If you knew how weight distribution whilst riding a motorbike affects the tipping?

Thanks again! Please Please help

[Fu-Kwun Hwang]

If the density of the object is uniform then the center of gravity of the rectangle is at the center of the object.
For any object, the way to find the center of gravity is the following:
1. Attach a string to any point on the object then draw a vertical line from that point.
2. Attach the string to another point on the object and draw another vertivcal line.
3. The point where the above two line meet is the center of gravity.

The net torque much be zero for a stable condition.
If the center of the gravity exceeds the base , there is no way to find normal force to balance the torque.

[nancyd589]

Great post! It's very nice. Thank you so much for your post.


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