Find the force needed to move the elephant

[BoJunior]

Homework Statement

A very stong 115 kg man is having a tug of war with 1750 kg elephant. the coefficient friction for both on the groud is 1.o. a) find the force needed to move the elphant. b)
What would happen if the man could exert such a force

Homework Equations

F=w+a

The Attempt at a Solution

A)115kg+1750kg/1.0 =1865N
am i write?
B) the guy will probably die
am i right?

 

[BenG549]

I think you might need to re think this slightly. Start by thinking about, or even better listing, all of the forces involved (all forces currently acting on the object you're interested in) and have a look in some textbooks or do an internet search to make sure you have all of the relevant (and correct) equations to solve the problem.

Once you have all of that you can start thinking about the additional force required (given the existing forces) to move the object.

Ben.

 

[Basic_Physics]

In order to move the elephant you would need to overcome its friction. How is its friction related to its weight?

 

[tiny-tim]

hint: what would happen on ice?

 

[Nickie]

Your solution for part A is incorrect. The formula for finding the force needed to move an object is F=μmg, where μ is the coefficient of friction, m is the mass of the object, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. Plugging in the values given in the problem, we get F=(1.0)(1750kg)(9.8m/s^2)=17,150N. This is the amount of force needed to overcome the friction and move the elephant.

As for part B, it is not accurate to say that the man would "probably die" if he exerted such a force. While it is true that the force required to move the elephant is significantly greater than the average human's strength, it is possible for a very strong person to exert that amount of force. However, it would likely be very difficult and potentially dangerous for the man to do so. It is important to always consider safety and proper techniques when attempting to move heavy objects.