How Do You Calculate the Coefficient of Friction on a Sloped Surface?

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around calculating the coefficient of friction for a box sliding down a ramp inclined at 25 degrees, given its mass and acceleration. The problem involves understanding the forces acting on the box and how to apply Newton's laws in this context.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Mathematical reasoning

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the need to separate gravitational force into components to find the normal force and frictional force. There are attempts to express the forces in terms of the coefficient of friction and acceleration. Questions arise about the correct application of equations and the interpretation of symbols used in the equations.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing insights into the relationships between forces and the coefficient of friction. Some guidance has been offered regarding the separation of forces, but there is no clear consensus on the approach to take. The original poster expresses confusion about the calculations, indicating that the discussion is still ongoing.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the problem statement and are trying to derive relationships without complete information on the coefficient of friction. There is an acknowledgment of the need to clarify the roles of different forces in the context of the problem.

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Homework Statement


A 75kg box slides down a 25.0 degree ramp with an acceleration of 3.60m/s[tex]^{2}[/tex]
a.) Find [tex]\mu[/tex]k between the box and the ramp.
b.) What acceleration would a 175kg box have on this ramp?

Homework Equations


Fapplied,y=(?N)(sin[STRIKE]0[/STRIKE])
Fapplied,x=(?N)(cos[STRIKE]0[/STRIKE])
Fg=mg
[tex]\sum[/tex]Fy=Fn+Fapplied,y-Fg-0
Fk=[tex]\mu[/tex]kFn
[tex]\sum[/tex]Fx=Fapplied,x-Fk=ma[tex]_{2}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution


Given: ax=3.60m/s
a.) Fg=(75kg)(9.81m/s[tex]^{2}[/tex])=736N
b.) m=175kg

I do not understand how to get Fk or Fn without first finding [tex]\mu[/tex], so I am stuck for now...
 
Last edited:
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You can't find the normal force or solve for the coefficient without separating the mg into components parallel and perpendicular to the ramp.
ramp.jpg
 
The acceleration of the sliding box is given by
ma = mgsinθ - μmgcosθ
Solve for μ.
 
So in that case, I should change it into
Fapplied,y=736cos25 down
Fapplied,x=736sin25 right
and continue from there? Or are those symbols for something else?

Is this how it should look in graph form?
untitled-2.jpg


@rl.bhat ah, so it is that simple... is the acceleration constant or 9.81m/s^2
 
Last edited:
a is given in the problem and it is constant. g is 9.8 m/s^2
 
So 0 = mgsinθ - μmgcosθ
Ok, thank you both for the help, now to lock this thread...
 
PhysicsIsRuff said:
So 0 = mgsinθ - μmgcosθ
Ok, thank you both for the help, now to lock this thread...
It is not correct.
3.6 m/s^2 = mgsinθ - μmgcosθ
 

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