How Do You Calculate Total Work on a Car Coasting Downhill in Physics?

[iceman90]

This is my first post and I am sorry for any mispelled words or incorrect grammar

This is a problem for my grade 10 physics class
A car of mass m coasts down a hill inclined at an angle theta below the horizontal. The car is acted on by 3 forces. The normal force N exerted by the road, a force due to air resistance, F(air) and the force of gravity mg. Find the total work done on the car as it travels a distance d along the road.



Any suggestions :)

 

[rey242]

what are the forces in use? There has to be some numbers.

 

[iceman90]

Well it's asking for an equation to find the total work done on the car. There arent any numbers.

 

[rey242]

ok then, we know that they are asking for three forces,
a)air resistance
B)force of gravity
c)normal force

so the equations in use is are derived from the sum of F(force)=ma
that mean we just add up all the force to make a net force.
Normal force is the force applied downward and parallel to the road
the force of gravity is essentially weight, or the amount of force applied towards the Earth's center
and the the wind resistance is just a small force applied on the force of the car accelerating downward, which is the force of gravity applied at a certain angle.

Does this help?

 

[iceman90]

How am I supposed to put friction into the equation?