Forces and Newton-Identifying Acceleration

In summary, the man pulling a rope with a force of 200N, attached to a box with a mass of 35kg at a 30° angle from the horizontal, has a \muk of 0.3. After finding the net force equations and solving for acceleration, it was discovered that the correct answer is 2.866m/s², not 2.0087m/s² as originally calculated. The mistake was due to not including the vertical component of the applied force.
  • #1
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Homework Statement


A man pulls a rope, with a force of 200N, attached to a box, with a mass of 35kg, 30° from the horizontal. The [tex]\mu[/tex]k is 0.3. Find the acceleration of the box.


Homework Equations


[tex]\Sigma[/tex]F = ma
Ffr = [tex]\mu[/tex]FN

The Attempt at a Solution


FBD
http://img255.imageshack.us/img255/2181/forceandNewtonaccelerat.jpg

Net Force Equations
[tex]\Sigma[/tex]Fy = ma
FN - FG = ma
FN - mg = ma
FN = mg + ma
Acceleration is 0 because the box is not moving up or down so
FN = mg


[tex]\Sigma[/tex]Fx = ma
Fappcos[tex]\theta[/tex] - Ffr = ma
Fappcos[tex]\theta[/tex] - [tex]\mu[/tex]FN = ma
Fappcos[tex]\theta[/tex] - [tex]\mu[/tex]mg = ma
(Fappcos[tex]\theta[/tex] - [tex]\mu[/tex]mg) / m = a
((200N)(cos30°) - (0.3)(35kg)(9.8m/s²)) / 35kg = a
2.0087m/s² [tex]\approx[/tex] a

I am told this is wrong and that the correct answer is around 2.87m/s².

What did I do wrong so that I did not arrive at the correct answer?
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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  • #2
You are missing a force in the y-dir.
 
  • #3
It's in there with:

Net Force Equations
[tex]\Sigma[/tex] Fy = ma
FN - FG = ma
FN - mg = ma
FN = mg + ma
Acceleration is 0 because the box is not moving up or down so
FN = mg
 
  • #4
All your work looks correct to me.
Don't forget to check the question - very easy to copy something incorrectly.
 
  • #5
Since the Fapp is at a 30 degrees, isn't there a component of it working in the y-dir?
 
  • #6
Yes I now see that I forgot to include fapp in the y direction. The correct net equation is:

FN = mg -Fappsin[tex]\theta[/tex]

(Fappcos[tex]\theta[/tex] - [tex]\mu[/tex](mg -Fappsin[tex]\theta[/tex]) / m = a
((200N)(cos30°) - (0.3)((35kg)(9.8m/s²)-((200N)(sin30°))) / 35kg = a
2.866m/s² = a

This is correct. Thank you.
 
Last edited:
  • #7
Thanks for catching that, slmg! I forgot about the pull affecting the normal force!
 

1. What is a force?

A force is a push or pull that causes an object to accelerate or change its motion. It is typically measured in Newtons (N) and has both magnitude and direction.

2. Who was Sir Isaac Newton and what did he contribute to our understanding of forces and motion?

Sir Isaac Newton was an English physicist and mathematician who is famous for his laws of motion. He developed the three laws of motion, which describe the relationship between forces and motion, and also introduced the concept of gravity.

3. What is acceleration and how is it related to force?

Acceleration is the rate of change of an object's velocity. It can be caused by a force acting on an object. The greater the force applied, the greater the acceleration. This is described by Newton's second law of motion, which states that force is equal to mass times acceleration.

4. How can you identify acceleration in an object's motion?

Acceleration can be identified by observing changes in an object's speed or direction of motion. If an object is moving in a straight line and its speed is increasing, it is experiencing positive acceleration. If an object is moving in a straight line and its speed is decreasing, it is experiencing negative acceleration (also known as deceleration or slowing down).

5. Can forces cancel each other out?

Yes, forces can cancel each other out if they are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. This is known as a balanced force and it results in no change in an object's motion. If the forces are not equal, the resulting force will cause an object to accelerate in the direction of the greater force.

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