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1994-2002 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
This is one is easiest to explain if you have done a lot of laundry on a top load washer.
Speed changes the values of many things regarding centrifugal and centripetal forces. Without getting too technical, speed is crucial. An unbalanced washer or wheel has a weight difference between two points. One part of the washer, or wheel, will be heavier. You can compensate an imbalance with additional rotational speed, so the amount of time that heavy spot is at any one location is smaller and smaller with increased speed (the heavy spot passes a certain point X faster and faster). The faster you rotate, the harder it is to notice that there is a difference in weight on opposite sides of the washer/wheel. However, there are some critical spots where this difference becomes more obvious. If you ever look at an unbalanced washer you will notice that at certain speeds, the washer spins appropiately (really high speeds). Yet, while trying to speed up or speed down, it will rumble tremendously at certain points. These are the points where the weight difference is highly magnified. It is the same thing with tires. There are certain speeds at which a tire weight differential becomes highly noticeble. In the case of cars the classic sign of an unbalanced wheel will be one that vibrates at a specific speed range, usually highway speeds. They tend to shake at 45-65 miles per hour, but is not as evident at higher or lower speeds.
I am not a physicist, so this is somewhat hard for me to explain in great detail. However I have done a lot of laundry :) and used lots of centrifuges in my life. The same principle applies to all 3 devices: tires, washers and centrifuges.
Another interesting thing is that if a rim is bent, you tend to notice that at almost any speed, while unblancing is more obvious at a certain speed range.
, Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:58:33
, Tue, 8 Feb 2005 12:49:53
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