Calculating the Work done from an Incline with Friction Problem

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the work done by a father pushing a sled up a snowy incline with a height of 3.6m and an angle of 15°. The sled, with a total mass of 35 kg and a coefficient of kinetic friction of 0.20, moves at a constant velocity. Key equations include the net force components in both the Y and X directions, specifically addressing the normal force and frictional force calculations. The main issue identified is the incorrect calculation of the net force in the X direction due to the miscalculation of the normal force.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's laws of motion
  • Knowledge of forces acting on an incline
  • Familiarity with friction coefficients and their application
  • Ability to resolve forces into components
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the concept of normal force on inclined planes
  • Learn about calculating work done against friction
  • Explore the implications of constant velocity in force calculations
  • Review vector resolution techniques in physics
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Students studying physics, particularly those focusing on mechanics, as well as educators looking for examples of force calculations on inclined planes.

Iconic
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Problem:
A father pushes horizontally on his daughter's sled to move it up a snowy incline, as illustrated in the figure, with h = 3.6m and θ = 15°. The total mass of the sled and the girl is 35 kg and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the sled runners and the snow is 0.20. If the sled moves up the hill with a constant velocity, how much work is done by the father in moving it from the bottom to the top of the hill?

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Equations Used:

Forcenet Y components ƩFy= N-mgcosθ=0-(due to constant velocity)
So...
Normal Force Fn= mgcosθ
And since...
Friction Force Ff= (μ)kFn
So...
Friction Force Ff= (μ)k(mgcosθ)

Forcenet X components ƩFx= -mgsinθ-(μ)k(mgcosθ)

The Attempt at a Solution



Before I go any further with solving this problem I need to know how to use the applied Force from the father in this problem. I'm 100% certain my ƩFx is incorrect and was hoping someone could explain how I should fix this.
 
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Iconic said:
Before I go any further with solving this problem I need to know how to use the applied Force from the father in this problem. I'm 100% certain my ƩFx is incorrect and was hoping someone could explain how I should fix this.

Yes, ##ƩF_{x}## is incorrect because you calculated Normal force incorrectly. Since ##F## (force by father) is acting horizontally, you'll have to take component perpendicular to the plane into account while calculating ##ƩF_{y}##
 

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