Science
How Pi Keeps Train Wheels on Track – WIRED
Happy 3/14! Here’s how this mathematical constant keeps train cars from flying off their tracks during turns.
Illustration: Rhett Allain
Notice that there is a nice linear relationship between the angular position of the wheel and the horizontal position? The slope of this line is 0.006 meters per degree. If you had a wheel with a bigger radius, it would move a greater distance for each rotationso it seems clear that this slope has something to do with the radius of the wheel. Let’s write this as the following expression.
Illustration: Rhett Allain
In this equation, s is the distance the center of the wheel…
-
General22 hours agoWedding guests shelter under tables as storm tears roof from historic Camboon Campdraft Hall
-
General17 hours agoHome prices turbocharged as deposit guarantee kicks in
-
General21 hours agoInvestors and first home buyers flock to property market, driving up prices
-
Noosa News12 hours agoConcrete Playground’s Editors on What’s Trending After Dark