Question

In addition to their remarkable top speeds of almost 60 mph,cheetahs have impressive cornering abilities. In one study, the maximum centripetal acceleration of a cheetah was measured to be 16 m/s2. What minimum value of the coefficient of static friction between the ground and the cheetah's feet is necessary to provide this acceleration?

Answer 1

Let us take the mass of the cheetah to be m.

The normal force applied by the ground on the cheetah is equal to the weight of the cheetah.i.e

The force due to friction is

This force provide the centripetal acceleration. i.e

So, the coefficient of static friction is 1.633.