The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving connected bodies and the calculation of forces acting on them. The original poster attempts to determine the net force acting on one of the bodies in the system, specifically arriving at a value of 39 Newtons.
The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing guidance on the importance of including friction and working symbolically. There is recognition that the original calculation may be inaccurate, and suggestions have been made to clarify the equations involved.
Participants note that the problem states the surface is rough, which raises questions about the treatment of friction in their calculations. There is also mention of the bodies being pushed at a constant velocity, which may influence the approach to the problem.
ayans2495 said:
It looks like they are being pushed at a constant velocity with a constant force, and yes you should include friction. You don't even need the actual number for the friction coefficient, just assume some value ##\mu_k## and use it in your equations. The answer you got is close, but not correct yet.ayans2495 said:
As @berkeman notes, that's a bit inaccurate. This will have been a result of plugging in numbers too soon. A much better style is to work entirely symbolically, even putting symbols for given quantities, such as m, M for the two masses. Only plug in numbers at the end.ayans2495 said: