Calculating Car Acceleration with Fuzzy Die

[Xenon29]

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.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Examine all the forces acting on the die. What are you getting for components? Then try Newton 2.

 

[Xenon29]

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.

 

[PhanthomJay]

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?