Faster or Slower: Doubled Mass & Wall Slide

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem concerning the effect of mass on the sliding motion of an object against a wall. Participants are exploring whether doubling the mass of the object would result in it sliding down the wall faster or slower, considering factors such as friction and normal force.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Conceptual clarification

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants are questioning the relationship between mass, friction, and acceleration. There are attempts to clarify the problem statement and the conditions under which the object is sliding, including the role of normal force and friction.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants seeking clarification on the original problem statement and the physical setup. Some have offered insights into the forces at play, while others are still trying to understand the implications of mass on the sliding motion.

Contextual Notes

There is uncertainty regarding whether to consider air resistance and friction in the problem, as well as the specific conditions of the wall and the object’s motion.

pyroknife
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there's this question on my homework that asks if the mass was doubled would the object slide down the wall faster than the original mass. I said yes it would, but then I caluculated the friction of both and the doubled mass has a larger friction wouldn't that make it slower?
 
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What is the full problem statement?

Does it say to ignore air resistance, friction, etc...?
 
Is the wall perpendicular to a flat ground? If so, think about what would happen if you dropped an object against the wall; for there to be a force of friction there must be a normal force on the object from the wall, and if there is a normal force against the object perpendicular to its motion, the object will either accelerate away from the wall for the brief instant the object is in contact with the wall, or else there must be some other force keeping the object pushed up against the wall. Does this other force exist?
 
I feel that the OP meant a mass sliding down an inclined plane, in which case the force along the plane is ma = mgsin(theta) – kmgcos(theta), and so the accn is independent of the mass. This applies to the vertical wall as well. But of course only the OP can give us the actual problem.
 

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