Acceleration on an inclined plane

[Jacob87411]

This is more a general case question than a specific problem. Say you have a box on an inclined plane and you break the forces into the components, sum the forces in Y and X. If you keep your X and Y axis' the way they usually are (don't make the X axis along the inclined plane) and the box is sliding up or down the plane is your acceleration in the Y 0, thus making the sum of your forces in the Y direction 0? Thanks

 

[Hootenanny]

This is more a general case question than a specific problem. Say you have a box on an inclined plane and you break the forces into the components, sum the forces in Y and X. If you keep your X and Y axis' the way they usually are (don't make the X axis along the inclined plane) and the box is sliding up or down the plane is your acceleration in the Y 0, thus making the sum of your forces in the Y direction 0? Thanks

That depends whether your moving at a constant velocity or not

 

[m2003]

Yes, as long as the box is not moving in the Y direction, the acceleration in the Y direction will be 0. This is because the sum of the forces in the Y direction, also known as the net force, is equal to the mass of the box multiplied by its acceleration in the Y direction (Newton's second law). If the net force is 0, then the acceleration in the Y direction must also be 0. This means that the box is not accelerating up or down the plane, and is either at rest or moving at a constant velocity in the Y direction.