Expert: Dan Liddy - 9/1/2003

Question
Hello Dan,

What is G-force and how does it effect the car? What is the genuine nationality of  these companies Mercedes, ford, and  BMW etc. like Ferrari  comes from Italy, and Toyota is the Japanese technology.

Hope you will give me elaborate reply

Thanks you
Farhan nazir>>


Answer
Hello again Farhan:

Let's start with a simple experiment.  Take a small weight, like a 10-15 gm weight, and tie securely to to the end of a piece of string. now start swinging the weight around your head.  As you increase the speed with which you swing it, you will feel the weight getting heavier. This increase demonstrates G force. When the weight exerts a horizontal force on the string of it's full weight, it has reached 1 G. In this case the weight is exerting centrifugal force, and the string, by keeping the weight from flying away, is exerting centripedal force.

With a car at speed in a corner, the car is exerting the centrifugal force, while the tyres are creating the centripedal force, keeping it on track.  If the centrifugal force should exceed the amount of centripedal force available, the car (or our 10 gm weight) will fly off into space, out of control.

Lets say you weigh 150 lb. (240 Kg)  If you are taking off in a jet aircraft, you will notice that the acceleration presses you back in the seat. This is also a G force, and when it reaches the that you are experiencing a pressure to your body weight in a horizontal plane, you are again experiencing one G.

As far as the true nationality of car makers, the world of business has gotten so complex, that it's no longer possible to determine who owns what. Though Ford was originally an American company, it manufactures cars in America,England, Ireland, Australia and several countries in Central and South America. Mercedes is probably still based mostly in Germany, while BMW is located in a part of Germany called Bavaria, BMW stands for "Bavarian Motor Werks".

That should answer your questions for now, nice hearing from you.

Dan Liddy