What is the momentum effect on entering a curve?

Study for the Nova Scotia Drivers Beginners Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, each question has hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

When you enter a curve, your vehicle’s momentum wants to keep moving in a straight line. To follow the bend, the tires must push inward on the road, providing centripetal force toward the curve’s center. Because you’re resisted from turning by that straight-line momentum, you feel as if you’re being pushed outward—the outward sensation is the result of inertia in the curved path, often described as centrifugal force in everyday driving terms. Gravity acts vertically and doesn’t help or hinder the sideways turn, and momentum doesn’t disappear—it’s redirected into the circular motion. That’s why this option best captures what happens.