# Homework Help: Diving car down steep, slippery hill (work, gravity, friction)

1. Mar 9, 2010

### Jim01

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data

Driving an automobile down a slippery, steep hill, a driver brakes and skids at a constant speed for 10m. If the automobile mass is 1700kg and the angle of the slope of the hill is 25 degrees, how much work does gravity do on the car during the skid? How much work does friction do on the car?

2. Relevant equations

ΣFx = 0

Wx = -mgsinΘ
Ff = ?

Ff - Wx = 0

ΣFy = 0

Wy = -mgcosΘ
N = mgcosΘ

N - Wy = 0

3. The attempt at a solution

Ff - Wx = 0
Ff = Wx
Ff = -mgsinΘ
Ff = -(1700kg)(9.81m/s2)sin25°
Ff = -7.06x103N

It seems to me that if Ff is -7.06x103N then the gravitational pull down the hill would have to be an equal but opposite 7.06x103N, but I am unsure about this.

W = Fs cosΘ

Wg = 7.06x103N cos25° = 6.4x10 3J

Wf = -7.06x103N cos25° = 6.4x10 3J

I know that this is an incorrect answer, however, I am unsure of what to do.

2. Mar 9, 2010

### PhanthomJay

You have correctly noted in your equations that since the car is moving at constant speed, then the sum of forces along the incline must be 0. So raise your hand if you're sure.
What's the formula for work (your equations are incomplete)? Also, what is the value of theta to use in your equations for work?

3. Mar 9, 2010

### Jim01

I think I see my problem. I was thinking that since the car was going down a hill at at 25 degree angle that I would use the W = Fscos$$\theta$$ formula. However, after thinking about it, the force is parallel with the slope of the hill, so I should either use the W = Fx$$\Delta$$x formula OR set $$\theta$$ to 0 instead of 25.

4. Mar 10, 2010

### PhanthomJay

the general equation for work done by a constant force is Fcostheta(d)
yes, so how much work is done by gravity, and how much work is done by friction?

5. Mar 10, 2010

### Jim01

OK, after relooking at my book what I thought was an Fs was actually an Fs, so W = Fscos$$\theta$$. Can I assume that s and d are the same thing?

Wg = (7.06x103N)(10m) = 7.06x104J

Wf = (-7.06x103N)(10m) = -7.06x104J

6. Mar 10, 2010

### PhanthomJay

Yes, yes, and yes to all. Now please study up on the definition of work...don't blindly copy a formula out of a book without trying to understand the theory.