Calculate Coefficient of Friction for 41N Bookcase on Ground

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the coefficient of friction for a 41N bookcase on the ground, given its acceleration of 0.25 m/s². Participants are exploring the relationship between force, mass, and friction in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are attempting to relate the given weight and acceleration to the coefficient of friction, while questioning the completeness of the problem statement. Some express uncertainty about the necessary information, such as whether an external force is applied or if the surface is indeed flat.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants raising valid questions about the assumptions made in the problem. Some suggest deriving a general solution for the coefficient of friction based on the available data, while others express skepticism about the problem's feasibility.

Contextual Notes

There is uncertainty regarding the completeness of the problem statement, as participants note the absence of information about any applied forces or surface conditions. The lack of explicit details may affect the ability to solve for the coefficient of friction accurately.

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Homework Statement


what is the coefficient of friction between a 41N bookcase and the groud, when the bookcase accelerates at .25m/s2?


Homework Equations



F=ma Forcefriction=μ*force normal

The Attempt at a Solution


a=.25 m=41 μ=? I have absolutly no idea what i am doing
 
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The problem statement appears to be incomplete. Is the bookcase sliding down a slope? Were you given a coefficient of friction?
 
I have to find the coefficient of friction between the bookcase and the ground, this is all that I was given, there is no angle. I am assuming that this is a flat surface.
 
Are you told the force that's being applied to move the bookcase horizontally? Because I really can't think of any method to find the coefficient of friction between two surfaces just with the normal force (weight in Newtons, for a flat surface with no external vertical forces acting) and relative acceleration between the surfaces.
 
the problem up above is all that I have, oh well my teacher has given us impossible problems before maybe this is another >.<
 
That strikes me as rather odd. I mean you could attempt to find a general solution for [itex]\mu[/itex] in terms of the data you have. Since you have a gravitational force (which equals the normal force) and can use it to derive the mass of the bookcase, that allows you to calculate that the net force on the object is m * anet = m * (aapplied force - [itex]\mu[/itex]g * â)
 

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