Free Body Diagram of a incline

In summary, for the incline, you should include the floor and van forces on the free body diagram. For the man, you should include the weight, normal force, and friction force. The weight of the box and man only apply to the respective objects, not the incline. The normal force and friction force between the man and incline can be combined into a total reaction force. Both the incline and man have the same forces, just in opposite directions.
  • #1
thonwer
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0

Homework Statement



Draw a free body diagram of the incline. Build the free body diagram of the man. Which is the force which makes the man to go up the incline?

http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/46/t92m.png

Homework Equations



Newton's 2º Law

The Attempt at a Solution



For the incline I've put a reaction from the floor, a reaction from the van, weight from the man and the box and the normal reaction from the incline to the weights of the man and the box.

For the man I've put, the weight, the normal reaction from the incline to the weight, and the friction force going to the top of the incline.

I suspect I am missing some force for the incline free body diagram, can you help me please?
 
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  • #2
Is there force between the man and the box?
 
  • #3
Yes, do I have to draw it too?
 
  • #4
thonwer said:
Yes, do I have to draw it too?
It's asking for the free body diagram of the man.
(So, yes)
 
  • #5
My question is about the free body diagram of the incline not the man.
 
  • #6
thonwer said:
My question is about the free body diagram of the incline not the man.
In the case of the incline, you could treat the man and the box as a unit.
If it was my homework assignment, I would treat them separately. It wouldn't make a difference until the box started to move or the man started to slip. At that point, you would have a mixture of inertial and kinetic friction.
 
  • #7
hi thonwer! :smile:
thonwer said:
For the incline I've put a reaction from the floor, a reaction from the van, weight from the man and the box and the normal reaction from the incline to the weights of the man and the box.

no, you're not applying the basic rule of a free body diagram:

only include the forces on the body

the weight of the box (or the man) only acts on the box (or the man), it does not act on the incline, and so it does not go on the free body diagram

the reaction from the box (or the man) does act on the incline, and so it does go on the free body diagram

(also you've missed out the friction, though it would be easier if you simply said "reaction" (not "normal reaction"), since that includes the friction)
 
  • #8
tiny-tim said:
hi thonwer! :smile:


no, you're not applying the basic rule of a free body diagram:

only include the forces on the body

the weight of the box (or the man) only acts on the box (or the man), it does not act on the incline, and so it does not go on the free body diagram

the reaction from the box (or the man) does act on the incline, and so it does go on the free body diagram

(also you've missed out the friction, though it would be easier if you simply said "reaction" (not "normal reaction"), since that includes the friction)


Ok, so I have the floor and the van forces, but I don't really understand how do the block and the man affect the incline, I know there is a friction force but I don't know its direction in the incline but I know it for the man :confused:
 
  • #9
between the man and the incline:​

there's a normal force, just like the normal force when the man is ion the ground

and there's a friction force

you can combine both of them into the total reaction force

between the incline and the man:​

exactly the same forces, equal in magnitude but in the opposite direction
 

1. What is a free body diagram?

A free body diagram is a visual representation of the forces acting on an object. It shows the magnitude and direction of all the forces acting on the object, including the force of gravity, normal force, and any other applied forces.

2. How do you draw a free body diagram of an incline?

To draw a free body diagram of an incline, you first need to identify all the forces acting on the object. These typically include the force of gravity, the normal force, and any applied forces. Then, draw a diagram of the object on the incline, and draw arrows representing the direction and magnitude of each force.

3. What is the purpose of a free body diagram?

The purpose of a free body diagram is to help analyze the motion of an object by visualizing all the forces acting on it. This can be useful in determining the net force and acceleration of the object, as well as identifying any forces that may be causing the object to accelerate or decelerate.

4. Are free body diagrams only used for inclines?

No, free body diagrams can be used for any object or system. They are commonly used in physics and engineering to analyze the forces acting on an object or system in any direction or orientation.

5. How do free body diagrams relate to Newton's Laws of Motion?

Free body diagrams are directly related to Newton's Laws of Motion, as they help to visualize and analyze the forces acting on an object in accordance with these laws. They can also be used to determine the net force on an object and whether it is in a state of equilibrium or experiencing acceleration.

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