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Re: [Phys-l] Another tire question



Maybe I'm missing the point or grossly
oversimplifying, but can't you just view this problem
as if the wheels were sitting on coil springs (ie, the
tire sidewalls) with variable spring constants? Higher
air pressure effectively produces a greater spring
constant. The more pressure, the higher off the road
the wheel sits - just like if you substituted stiffer
springs for softer springs. This explanation is also
consistent with the fact that the load capacity of a
tire increases as the air pressure increases.

John Barrere
Fresno Unified School District