Inclined plane problem strange result

In summary, a boy pulls a 60.0-N sled up a 15.0° hill with a 25.0-N force at a 35.0° angle to the horizontal. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the sled and snow is unknown. When the boy jumps on the sled and slides down the hill, the magnitude of his acceleration down the slope is 2.29m/s^2. However, the angle of the rope relative to the hill is incorrect, so the solution is not entirely accurate. The sled would not accelerate up the hill, but rather remain stationary without a steeper incline or adjustment to the sled.
  • #1
kubaanglin
47
5

Homework Statement


7. A boy drags his 60.0-N sled at constant speed up a 15.0° hill. He does so by pulling with a 25.0-N force on a rope attached to the sled. If the rope is inclined at 35.0° to the horizontal,
(a) What is the coefficient of kinetic friction between sled and snow?
(b) At the top of the hill, he jumps on the sled and slides down the hill. What is the magnitude of his acceleration down the slope?

Homework Equations


See Below

The Attempt at a Solution


20161008_163045.jpg

For question b, I ended up getting a result that should mean the sled is accelerating up the hill at ##2.29m/s^2##. Can someone look over my work? I was not sure what "If the rope is inclined at 35.0° to the horizontal" meant. I assumed it meant that the angle was relative to tilted axes.
 
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  • #2
kubaanglin said:
I was not sure what "If the rope is inclined at 35.0° to the horizontal" meant. I assumed it meant that the angle was relative to tilted axes.
The tilted axis is not horizontal so that's not right.

The hill is 15.0° relative to the horizontal.
The rope is 35.0° relative to the horizontal.
So the rope must be at what angle relative to the hill?
 
  • #3
Okay, that makes more sense.
20161008_170056.jpg
 
  • #4
That's right.
Ignoring that your ##\mu## is wrong your working looks right for b) and your solution is valid.
Remember than generally:
##f_{kinetic} < f_{static}##
And
##f_{static} \leq \mu N ##

In words, the sled wouldn't accelerate up the hill, it'd just sit there without moving. The boy would have to find a steeper hill or fix his sled.
 

1. Why do objects on an inclined plane sometimes appear to move in the opposite direction from the force applied?

This phenomenon, known as "backwards sliding", occurs due to the combination of the normal force and friction acting on the object. As the object moves down the inclined plane, the force of gravity pulls it towards the bottom while the normal force from the plane pushes it towards the top. The friction force, acting in the opposite direction of motion, can sometimes be strong enough to cause the object to slide in the opposite direction.

2. How can the apparent weight of an object change on an inclined plane?

The apparent weight of an object on an inclined plane can change due to the component of the force of gravity that is acting parallel to the plane. As the angle of the plane increases, the component of the weight acting parallel to the plane also increases, making the object feel heavier. Likewise, as the angle decreases, the object will feel lighter.

3. Why does the acceleration of an object on an inclined plane decrease when the angle of the plane increases?

The acceleration of an object on an inclined plane decreases as the angle of the plane increases because the component of the force of gravity acting parallel to the plane also decreases. This results in a smaller net force, and therefore, a smaller acceleration.

4. What is the relationship between the angle of an inclined plane and the force of friction?

The force of friction on an inclined plane is directly proportional to the angle of the plane. As the angle increases, the force of friction also increases. This is because the steeper the angle, the greater the component of the weight of the object acting parallel to the plane, which in turn increases the friction force.

5. Can the force of friction ever be greater than the weight of an object on an inclined plane?

No, the force of friction can never be greater than the weight of an object on an inclined plane. This is because the maximum friction force is equal to the coefficient of friction multiplied by the normal force, and the normal force is always equal to the weight of the object on an inclined plane. Therefore, the maximum friction force can never exceed the weight of the object.

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