Problem

A popular ride at amusement parks is illustrated in Figure. In this ride, people sit in a...

A popular ride at amusement parks is illustrated in Figure. In this ride, people sit in a swing that is suspended from a rotating arm. Riders are at a distance of 12 m from the axis of rotation and move with a speed of 25 mi/h. (a) Find the centripetal acceleration of the riders. (b) Find the angle θ the supporting wires make with the vertical. (c) If you observe a ride like that in Figure, or as shown in the photo on page 170, you will notice that all the swings are at the same angle θ to the vertical, regardless of the weight of the rider. Explain.