Calculating Car Acceleration with Fuzzy Die

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the acceleration of a car using a fuzzy die that is deflected from the vertical. The problem involves analyzing the forces acting on the die, which has a mass of 250 g, and understanding the relationship between these forces and the car's acceleration.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to identify the forces acting on the die, particularly tension and gravity. There are attempts to calculate force components, with some uncertainty about the correct approach to finding these components.

Discussion Status

Some participants have provided guidance on examining the forces and applying Newton's laws. There is an ongoing exploration of the components of the tension force, with questions about the acceleration of the die in both the x and y directions. Multiple interpretations of the problem are being considered.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the calculations and the components of the forces, particularly regarding the tension and gravity. There is a focus on ensuring the correct understanding of the forces involved in the scenario.

Xenon29
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calculate the acceleration of a car given that a fuzzy die hanging from a string attached to the roof of the car is deflected 15 degrees from the vertical. The mass of the die is 250 g.

Can someone help me get started? I know you have to find the components but I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.
 
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Examine all the forces acting on the die. What are you getting for components? Then try Newton 2.
 
PhanthomJay said:
Examine all the forces acting on the die. What are you getting for components? Then try Newton 2.

The forces would be tension keeping the string up and gravity.

For the components I don't really know how to find them. I wrote

F = (.250 kg)(9.8)
F = 2.45 N

Fx = 2.45Cos15
Fy = 2.45Sin15

I don't know if they are right.
 
Xenon29 said:
The forces would be tension keeping the string up and gravity.
Yes, correct, except the tension keeps the die up.
For the components I don't really know how to find them. I wrote

F = (.250 kg)(9.8)
F = 2.45 N
This is the weight of the die, the gravity force acting down.
Fx = 2.45Cos15
Fy = 2.45Sin15

I don't know if they are right.
No those are not right; there is no x component to the gravity force, since it always act vertically down.. What you should be looking for are the components of the TENSION force. Then you can apply Newton's laws in both the x and y direction. Is the die accelerating in the x direction? How about in the y direction?
 

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