The problem involves three blocks of different masses on a frictionless surface, subjected to a force. The original poster seeks to determine the force exerted by one block on another, specifically the force the 2.16 kg block exerts on the 2.87 kg block.
The discussion is ongoing, with participants exploring different interpretations of the problem and the relationships between the forces acting on the blocks. Some guidance has been provided regarding the need for Free Body Diagrams, but no consensus has been reached on the correct approach for the first part of the problem.
Participants note confusion regarding the application of Newton's laws and the calculation of net forces, indicating a potential misunderstanding of the problem setup. There is also mention of a second part of the problem that has been resolved by one participant.
No, this will give you the net force acting on the 2nd block, not the force of block 2 on block 3. Instead, once you calculate the acceleration, you must draw a Free Body Diagram (FBD) which isolates the last (2.87 kg) block, identify the forces acting on that block, and apply Newton's laws to that block to solve for the force of block 2 on block 3.talaroue said:
Correct.talaroue said:
no it didn't, it gave you the net force acting on block 1
you mean you subtracted the net force from the 13.8 to get the force of block 2 on block 1.