Force of Friction: Solving for 15 kg Child on 4.0m Slide at 40 Degrees

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SUMMARY

The problem involves calculating the force of friction acting on a 15 kg child sliding down a 4.0 m slide inclined at 40 degrees. The child's final speed at the bottom of the slide is 3.2 m/s. The textbook states that the force of friction is 75 N. The initial attempts to calculate work using kinetic energy failed to account for gravitational potential energy, leading to incorrect results. The correct approach requires considering both kinetic and potential energy to accurately determine the work done against friction.

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msimard8
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This is my problem

A 15 kg child slides, from rest, down a playground slide tht is 4.0 m long, as shown in the figure. The slide makes a 40 degrees angle with the horizontal. The child's speed at the bottom is 3.2 m/s. What was the force of friction that the sldie was exerting on the child?

Ok. The answer in the texbook says 75N.


Here is my WROng attempt

work=Kinetic Energy 2 - Kinetic Energy 1
work = 1/2 m (V2squared - v1squared)
w=1/2 (15 kg) (3.2 m/s squared - 0)
w=7.5 (10.24 m/s)
w=76.8 J

then I..

Work=force (distance) (cos40)
f= w/d (cos 40)
f=76.8 J / 4.0 (cos 40)
f=14.7 N

Where is my error.. HELP PLEASE
 
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msimard8 said:
work=Kinetic Energy 2 - Kinetic Energy 1
work = 1/2 m (V2squared - v1squared)

w=1/2 (15 kg) (3.2 m/s squared - 0)
w=7.5 (10.24 m/s)
w=76.8 J
then I..
Work=force (distance) (cos40)
f= w/d (cos 40)
f=76.8 J / 4.0 (cos 40)
f=14.7 N
Where is my error.. HELP PLEASE
I've bolded the problem. Kinetic energy is not conserved, total energy is. That means that you must take potential energy into account.
 
still no correct answer

I took what you said into effect. I still don't get 75 N as a result.

Given

m=15 kg
g=9.81m/s squared
final velocity=7.2 m/s
initial velocity = 0m/s
d=4.0 m

w= gravitational potential energy 1 - gravitational potential energy 2
w= [(m) (g) (h2)] - [(m) (g) (h1)]
w= mg (h2-h1)
w= 15 kg (9.81 m/s squared) (4.0m - 0)
w= 588.6 J


then

work = force (distance) (cos 40)
f=w/d cos 40
f= 588.6 J / 4.0 m (0.7660)
f= 588.6 J / 3.0641
f=192.1

therefore the answer is still wrong according to the textbook

How does Velocity relate to this problem?
 
Last edited:

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