Calculating Force and Mass on a Lawnmower: A Gardener's Guide

[anotherperson]

A gardener is pushing a lawnmower at constant speed across the grass, with a force of F=0.91N directed along the handle of a the mower. The handle makes an angle of 45 degrees with the ground.

Q1, calculate the magnitude of the horizontal component of the force exerted on the mower by the grass.?

Q2 If the normal force of the ground on the mower is 190 N, calculate the mass of the mower?

 

[anotherperson]

i tried to link if with F=ma but i have no way to work out the acceleration. i also tried to do F=mg but i got the wrong answer.

 

[gneill]

Did you draw a diagram of the situation? In particular, a free body force diagram for the mower?

Since the gardener is pushing the mower at a constant speed, what does this tell you about the acceleration of the mower in the horizontal direction?

 

[anotherperson]

ohhh so the acceleration is 0.
but the force couldn't equal the mass?

did draw a free body diagram, had Fnormal pointing up, Fweight pointing down, Ffric pointing left and Fnet pointing right.

 

[gneill]

Force does not have the same units as mass, so no, force couldn't equal mass.

Perhaps you should show some of your calculations. What does your Fnet represent, and how did you calculate it?