Calculating Forces: Car Stopping & Box Moving

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating forces related to a car stopping and a box moving. The original poster presents two problems: one involving a car with a mass of 2500 kg that decelerates from 14 m/s to a stop over a distance of 25 m, and another concerning a 5 kg box moving at 3 m/s due to a force of 10 N.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster attempts to calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction for the car but expresses confusion about how to find the frictional force. They also question the relevance of gravitational force in their calculations.
  • Some participants question whether additional information is needed to fully solve the first problem, particularly regarding the braking force.
  • Others suggest that the normal force for the box is equal to its weight and discuss the implications of horizontal forces on the normal force calculation.
  • There is a discussion about whether the force needed to stop the car could equal the force of friction, especially under specific conditions like icy roads.
  • Participants also explore the relationship between normal force and friction, with references to equations involving frictional force and mass.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing insights and clarifications about the concepts of normal force and friction. Some guidance has been offered regarding the relationship between mass, gravitational force, and normal force, but there is no explicit consensus on the solutions to the problems presented.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the original poster may lack sufficient information to solve the first problem completely. There are also indications of frustration regarding the clarity of textbook explanations and teaching methods related to these physics concepts.

claralax
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Forces! please helpp!

1) 2500kg car stops from 14 m/s to full stop in a distance of 25.0 m. what is the coefficient of kinetic friction?q

2ad= v squared - v(starting) squared
2a25 = - (14) squared
50a = -196
a = - 3.92 m/s

i got this far and then to find Ffriction = u(coefficient)x normal force...and here i got lost.

i know that to stop the car a force of - 9800 N is needed. (F = ma = 2500(-3.92) = -9800N

but how do i get the friction of force? can somebody help me...please?

do i use Fg at all? Fg=2500(9.8)=24500N?

and then 2) box of 5 kg is moving at velocity of 3 m/s due to Force of 10N. What is the normal force?

I don't understand normal force. i know its a weight of an object and any other force added to it.

so in this case would it be 10N + 5(9.8)N which equals to 59N?
 
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Is there anymore to number 1? It seems they only give enough information to find the stoping force... Do they give the braking force? if they did then just subtract from the net force which is the 9800N
 
no they don't give any more information.
is number two right though?
or should i use pythagorian theorem for that since the speed is constant? so the net force is equal to zero?
 
[tex]f_{k} = \mu N[/tex] , [tex]f_{k}[/tex] is the friction. and what deccelarate the car is friction... N is normal, which is the force the car applied on the floor... after you have these two, finding [tex]\mu[/tex] shouldn't be a problem
 
He can get normal, but how does he get friction force?with given info Normal force in this case is = to mg
 
could the force the car needs to stop equal the force of friction since it drives at icy road?
 
for your question, yes...in your daily life...NO
 
lol, next time copy whole question.
 
well i wasnt sure...but okay
 
  • #10
ima real sorry guys...but didnt seem important at the beginning...ay ay

HOW BOUT THE SECOND QUESTION??
 
  • #11
Normal force is the force that the surface exerts on the box... if the box is on a flat surface, and the force is being applied perfectly horrizantally than it should just be equal to the force that the box is exerting on the floor caused by gravity, in which case it would be mg
 
  • #12
thanx a lot...man why can't they explain it clearly like this in the book? why can't my physics teacher teach for a change?...and stop making us study by ourselves from the book...*sigh*...THANX YOU ALL who helped me today.
 
  • #13
Yapper said:
He can get normal, but how does he get friction force?with given info Normal force in this case is = to mg


as vincentchan suggested, [tex]friction = \mu R[/tex], you can get the frictional force by using [tex]Friction = m a[/tex] where a is the magnitude of the deceleration. There are no other horizontal forces being applied, so, you can easily evaluate for [tex]\mu[/tex]
 

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