I40 CENTRIFUGAL FORCE CH. IX 



It is evident that the centrifugal force increases 

 directly with the weight and with the square of the 

 speed, and also as the radius of the curve diminishes, 

 or as the turn becomes sharper. 



Since the weight keeps the coach down at the 

 same time that it increases the centrifugal force, the 

 weight does not affect the safety, but the sharpness 

 of the turn has a great deal to do with the safety, 

 and the velocity, or speed, very much more. If the 

 radius of the curve is halved, the centrifugal force is 

 doubled, but if the speed is doubled, the centrifugal 

 force is quadrupled. Therefore, a corner should 

 be always turned slowly. 



Inasmuch as, in going around a turn, the centrifu- 

 gal force tends to turn the coach over toward the 

 outside, an elevation of the outside 

 of the road will counteract this action, 

 and roads being usually more or less 

 crowned, a corner to the right can be 

 turned more safely than one to the 



Qleft, because being on the right hand 

 side of the road the off wheels are 

 down and the inclination of the coach 

 ;z J 7 ^ I counteracts the centrifugal force which 



is acting in the direction of the arrow 

 Fig. 70. 



(Fig. 70). 



In turning to the left, the coach is still on the 



right hand side of the road, and the centrifugal 



force actino- to the right, the effect of the inclina- 



tion of the coach is added, and not opposed, to it. 



