Find the angle required for a 3kg block to slide down an incline

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on finding the angle required for a 3kg block to slide down a frictionless incline. Participants clarify that without friction, any nonzero angle will cause the block to slide, making the question somewhat ambiguous. The original poster attempted to use trigonometric functions but found them unhelpful in this context. The consensus is that the problem seems to lack necessary details, such as a coefficient of static friction, which would typically be relevant for determining a minimum angle. Ultimately, any angle greater than zero will suffice for the block to move down the incline.
zippyzay165
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Homework Statement
Hello, I'm a high school student and relatively new to learning physics. I've gotten a question that I'm stumped on.
Relevant Equations
F=mg
Fnet = ma
physics234.png

This is a rough sketch of the model.
It is frictionless.
I originally tried simple right-angle trig (sin θ =opp/hyp), but that just ends up as sin θ = sin θ , as well as cos θ = cos θ.

I feel like there's also a way to manipulate dynamic equations around to equate something that is capable of finding θ , but I haven't been able to compose one that proves anything yet. I would appreciate any help, thank you!
 
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zippyzay165 said:
Homework Statement:: Hello, I'm a high school student and relatively new to learning physics. I've gotten a question that I'm stumped on.
Relevant Equations:: F=mg
Fnet = ma

View attachment 264178
This is a rough sketch of the model.
It is frictionless.
I originally tried simple right-angle trig (sin θ =opp/hyp), but that just ends up as sin θ = sin θ , as well as cos θ = cos θ.

I feel like there's also a way to manipulate dynamic equations around to equate something that is capable of finding θ , but I haven't been able to compose one that proves anything yet. I would appreciate any help, thank you!
It looks to me as though you should have been given a coefficient of static friction and asked to find the minimum angle at which it will slide. Without friction, any nonzero angle will do.
 
zippyzay165 said:
Homework Statement:: Hello, I'm a high school student and relatively new to learning physics. I've gotten a question that I'm stumped on.
Relevant Equations:: F=mg
Fnet = ma

View attachment 264178
This is a rough sketch of the model.
It is frictionless.
I originally tried simple right-angle trig (sin θ =opp/hyp), but that just ends up as sin θ = sin θ , as well as cos θ = cos θ.

I feel like there's also a way to manipulate dynamic equations around to equate something that is capable of finding θ , but I haven't been able to compose one that proves anything yet. I would appreciate any help, thank you!
Can you post what the question is? Are they asking to find the acceleration?
 
It's asking to find the minimum angle required for the block to move down when it's frictionless.
 
haruspex said:
It looks to me as though you should have been given a coefficient of static friction and asked to find the minimum angle at which it will slide. Without friction, any nonzero angle will do.
coefficient seems to be 0...so does that mean there's a range of answers then?
 
zippyzay165 said:
It's asking to find the minimum angle required for the block to move down when it's frictionless.
Then, as Haruspex pointed out, the answer is any angle greater than zero. If there is no friction, any tilt of the incline will make the block slide down, clearly. It is a strange question.
 
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