4 ms·
Isn't there also an issue of impulse though? There must be an acceleration dip compared to earth since I'm basically pushing a mini cooper on earth but only a b
by aakil 14y ago
Isn't there also an issue of impulse though? There must be an acceleration dip compared to earth since I'm basically pushing a mini cooper on earth but only a bicycle on mars.
Note: I'm a scientist so I'm embarrassingly bad at physics.
- mpyne 14y agoIt would be easier to lift the rover perhaps, but F=ma, so since the mass of the rover hasn't changed, neither has the acceleration you can develop for a given force applied.
- Shadow6363 14y agoIsn't the friction dependent upon the normal force which on Mars would be less. Therefore, shouldn't the force required to overcome that also be less?
- JoeAltmaier 14y agoWheels need friction to develop acceleration. So its a negative not a positive.
- maxerickson 14y agoIt's only a negative if the vehicle needs to accelerate quickly. So sufficient friction is sufficient, not a negative or a positive. Given that the batteries store roughly 2.4 kW-h, it's probably safe to assume that the max drive power is less than 500 watts (2.4 kW-h / 10 hours -> 240 watts). Earth side electric vehicles commonly have drive power over 100 kilowatts.
- rlpb 14y agoAbsolutely, if you were pushing a block along the ground. Fortunately modern "wheel" technology reduces the bearing friction so much that it is no longer a factor. The only friction left is the friction holding the wheel to the ground. This is reduced in reduced gravity, such that wheels are more likely to slip.