How Do Forces Distribute Among Blocks on a Frictionless Surface?

[mohabitar]

Three blocks, each of mass 8 kg are on a frictionless table. A hand pushes on the left most box (A) such that the three boxes accelerate in the positive horizontal direction as shown at a rate of a = 0.7 m/s2.

Here are the ones I got right:
1. What is the magnitude of the force on block A from the hand?
Answer: 16.9-Correct
2. What is the net horizontal force on block A ?
Answer:5.6-Correct

And now the ones I can't figure out:
3. What is the horizontal force on block A due to block B?
and
4. What is the net horizontal force on block B?

For number 3, I tried subtracting (0.7*3) from total force of 16.9 but that was incorrect. Not sure how to approach this one.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Three blocks, each of mass 8 kg are on a frictionless table. A hand pushes on the left most box (A) such that the three boxes accelerate in the positive horizontal direction as shown at a rate of a = 0.7 m/s2.

Here are the ones I got right:
1. What is the magnitude of the force on block A from the hand?
Answer: 16.9-Correct16.8?[/color]
2. What is the net horizontal force on block A ?
Answer:5.6-Correct

And now the ones I can't figure out:
3. What is the horizontal force on block A due to block B?
and+
4. What is the net horizontal force on block B?

For number 3, I tried subtracting (0.7*3) from total force of 16.9 but that was incorrect. Not sure how to approach this one.

For #3,why 0.7*3? Is that a typo error? If the hand force on A is 16.8 N to the right, and the net force on A is 5.6 N to the right, then the force of B on A must be _____ to the ____.

For #4, F_net = ma. What is m and what is a? What is the direction of F_net?

Always draw free body diagrams.

 

[mohabitar]

Ok number 3 is -11.2

Number 4-wouldnt that answer be the same as the net force on block A? Why or why not? In this case fnet=ma would be f=8(0.7)=5.6, same as number 2. Whats wrong with this reasoning? Or would I have to also add to that the force coming from block A as well? The direction would be positive.

 

[PhanthomJay]

Ok number 3 is -11.2

that is correct, where the minus sign indicates that the force of B on A acts to the left.

Number 4-wouldnt that answer be the same as the net force on block A? Why or why not? In this case fnet=ma would be f=8(0.7)=5.6, same as number 2. Whats wrong with this reasoning?

Nothing, it is correct. But be sure to indicate its direction is to the right.

Or would I have to also add to that the force coming from block A as well? The direction would be positive.

There are two horizontal forces acting on B .One is from Block A, 11.2 N acting to the right (per Newton 3). the other is from Block C, which you can calculate if you were asked, by knowing that the NET force on B is 5.6 N to the right.

 

[mohabitar]

Wait so the answer to 4 is not just 5.6? So the net horizontal force on B would have to be the sum of the forces acting on it from the left and right. Since A is giving B a force of 11.2 N positive direction and C is also giving B a force in the negative direction, the answer could not be 5.6?

 

[PhanthomJay]

Wait so the answer to 4 is not just 5.6?

the answer to #4 IS 5.6 N to the right, using F_net=ma.

So the net horizontal force on B would have to be the sum of the forces acting on it from the left and right.

that is correct

Since A is giving B a force of 11.2 N positive direction and C is also giving B a force in the negative direction, the answer could not be 5.6?

Why not? 11.2 N to the right from A , and 5.6N to the left from C , so the net force is 11.2-5.6 = 5.6 N to the right. Convice yourself that the force of C on B is 5.6 N to the left, by looking at a free body diagram of C.