Finding accerlation in this problem

  • Thread starter Thread starter keweezz
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
3 replies · 7K views
keweezz
Messages
12
Reaction score
0
To give a 16 kg child a ride, two teenagers pull on a 3.4 kg sled with ropes, as indicated in Figure 5-26. Both teenagers pull with a force of F = 53 N at an angle of 35° relative to the forward direction, which is the direction of motion. In addition, the snow exerts a retarding force on the sled that points opposite to the direction of motion, and has a magnitude of 57 N. Find the acceleration of the sled and child.

picture: http://i232.photobucket.com/albums/ee319/reddevilzofah/05-23alt.gif

Okay, I've tried to solve this problem and I added all the Fx. So I did 16+3.4a=-53cos35+57 Solved for a, but the answer was wrong. Can someone tell me what I did wrong and how to fix it?

Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Could you please show us each step of your work, so we can look for where you might have made a mistake?
 
16+3.4a=-53cos35+57 and solved for a. Thats that work. Is the equatio wrong?
 
keweezz said:
16+3.4a=-53cos35+57 and solved for a. Thats that work. Is the equatio wrong?
Two mistakes:
(1) The total mass is 16 + 3.4. So the left side should have parentheses: (16 +3.4)a.
(2) There are two teenagers pulling, not just one.