In the context of cars, "g" refers to the measure of acceleration, specifically lateral acceleration (sideways force). It's a unit used to express how much a car is accelerating relative to the Earth's gravitational pull.
Understanding "g"
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Definition: One "g" is equal to the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface, approximately 9.8 meters per second squared (9.8 m/s² or 32.2 ft/s²).
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Lateral Acceleration: When discussing cars, "g" usually refers to lateral acceleration, which is the acceleration experienced during cornering. It indicates how much sideways force a car can generate relative to its weight.
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Example: If a car pulls 1g laterally, it means the sideways force acting on the car is equal to its weight. The occupants of the car will feel a force pushing them sideways with the same intensity as if they were experiencing normal gravity.
g-Force in Everyday Cars vs. Sports Cars
Most street-legal cars can achieve lateral acceleration values between 0.6g and 0.9g. High-performance sports cars and racing cars can exceed 1g laterally. This means these cars can generate sideways forces greater than their weight, allowing them to corner at higher speeds.
| Car Type | Typical Lateral g-Force |
|---|---|
| Standard Car | 0.6g - 0.9g |
| Sports Car | > 1g |
What do High g-Forces mean?
A car with a higher maximum lateral g-force can negotiate corners at a higher speed without losing grip. Drivers feel the effects of g-force pushing them to the side when cornering. The higher the g-force number, the more intense this feeling is. This is also a key factor when looking at handling performance differences among vehicles.
