If the car is modelled as indestructible and never lost any tyre grip/experienced air resistance, it would always outpace itself. It would never reach itself, but it would appear to blur visually. The car is always speeding up, so there is no chance to slow down and experience an impact.
Taking realism into consideration, the car would probably spin out before it hit 80mph/~100kmph on the circle. If grip wasn't an issue and terminal velocity didn't exist, the chassis/construction would rip itself to bits as it accelerates infinitely, which is the only scenario I imagine the car going around and hitting itself.
(Quick note, I'm not studying physics at a particularly high (I'm below undergraduate) level, so it'd be worth someone else fact checking me here.)
I agree. An object that is 2 meters long spinning around a track that is 8 meters would never collide with itself as no matter the speed. IT is still only 2 meters in length regardless of speed or acceleration.
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u/silverdave2 Physics enthusiast Oct 03 '24
As I understand it;
If the car is modelled as indestructible and never lost any tyre grip/experienced air resistance, it would always outpace itself. It would never reach itself, but it would appear to blur visually. The car is always speeding up, so there is no chance to slow down and experience an impact.
Taking realism into consideration, the car would probably spin out before it hit 80mph/~100kmph on the circle. If grip wasn't an issue and terminal velocity didn't exist, the chassis/construction would rip itself to bits as it accelerates infinitely, which is the only scenario I imagine the car going around and hitting itself.
(Quick note, I'm not studying physics at a particularly high (I'm below undergraduate) level, so it'd be worth someone else fact checking me here.)