Question about acceleration/forces

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a scenario where an individual on a frictionless skateboard pushes against a wall with a specified force, raising questions about the forces acting on the individual and the resulting acceleration. The subject area pertains to dynamics and Newton's laws of motion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the forces at play, particularly the reaction force from the wall and how it relates to the net force acting on the individual. Questions arise regarding the correct interpretation of net force in the context of acceleration calculations.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided insights into the forces involved, suggesting that the wall exerts a reaction force equal to the force applied by the individual. There is an ongoing exploration of how to apply this understanding to calculate acceleration, with various interpretations being discussed.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating the implications of a frictionless environment and the nature of forces acting on the individual, with some uncertainty about how to define net force in this scenario.

Banana15
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My homework question asks...
"If you stand next to a wall on a frictionless skateboard and push the wall with a force of 30 N, how hward does the wall push on you? If your mass is 60 kg, what is your acceleration?"
I figured that the wall pushes on you with a force of 30 N back, but what is the net force to be used in the equation to find acceleration? Is it 0, or 30?
 
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Try to imagine the problem. What would happen if YOU were in the same position. Would you stand still? No. So use 30=60.a
 
Banana15 said:
My homework question asks...
"If you stand next to a wall on a frictionless skateboard and push the wall with a force of 30 N, how hward does the wall push on you? If your mass is 60 kg, what is your acceleration?"
I figured that the wall pushes on you with a force of 30 N back, but what is the net force to be used in the equation to find acceleration? Is it 0, or 30?
only 1 horizontal force is acting on you -- that of the wall pushing back on you with 30 N force.

the "other" horizontal force (you pushing the wall) is not acting on you, but rather is acting on the wall

to calculate horizontal acceleration, use F = ma
 
Last edited:
You wouldn't stand still, so it would be 30 divided by 60?
 
Last edited:
geosonel said:
only 1 horizontal force is acting on you -- that of the wall pushing back on you with 30 N force
the "other" horizontal force (you pushing the wall) is not acting on you, but rather is acting on the wall

now use F = ma
thanks that really clears things up!
 

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