At What Angle Will This Box Begin to Slide?

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x2017
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Homework Statement



Photo of a worksheet showing a physics problem: a 100 Kg box sits on a ramp inclined at angle θ, beside a block labeled Moving Van, with x and y axes drawn above the box.

Homework Equations


ΣFx=max

The Attempt at a Solution


Handwritten free-body diagram of a box on an inclined plane with weight mg resolved into mgx and mgy, normal force FN and friction force FFx, beside the equations ΣFx = ma and mgsinθ − μmgcosθ = ma, with substituted values and the line 981 sinθ − μ981 cosθ = 0.


I drew a free body diagram for the box and set up the equation to solve for θ, but I'm not sure how to do it without μ
 
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I don't think you need to substitute
##F_{friction}## with ##μ F_N##
They want you to use the frictional force they themselves have provided in the question.
 
Suraj M said:
I don't think you need to substitute
##F_{friction}## with ##μ F_N##
They want you to use the frictional force they themselves have provided in the question.

Oh my goodness I can't believe I missed that... Thank you!

ΣFx=max
mgx-Ffx=max
mgsinθ-Ffx=max
(100)(9.81)sinθ-490.5=(100)(0)
981sinθ=490.5
θ=sin-1(490.5/981)
θ=30°

Wow, that was an embarrassing mistake!
 
x2017 said:
Oh my goodness I can't believe I missed that... Thank you!

ΣFx=max
mgx-Ffx=max
mgsinθ-Ffx=max
(100)(9.81)sinθ-490.5=(100)(0)
981sinθ=490.5
θ=sin-1(490.5/981)
θ=30°

Wow, that was an embarrassing mistake!
In a way, your mistake is one that is reasonable to make.

In an actual situation, the friction force does depend upon the normal force, which depends upon the angle the surface make with the horizontal.

Having the friction force be a fixed value, is not realistic.