How Do You Solve Inclined Plane Problems in Physics?

[pavadrin]

hey
a while back my physics teacher attempted to teach me inclined plane problems, however he only showed me once and I understood absolutely nothing. I was hoping that some kind fellow out there might be able to help me out, either by explaining me all the possible calculations involved, involving friction and not involving friction. I have looked in some textbooks and they mentioned using the dot product as a means if solving these problems, however I understood very little of this. Even if somebody could just provide me with a link that explains the situation, I would greatly appreciate it.
Many thanks in advance,
Pavadrin

 

[radou]

You've got tons of links out there, for example:
http://www.glenbrook.k12.il.us/gbssci/Phys/Class/vectors/u3l3e.html"

 

[pavadrin]

thanks for that reply radou, however does anyone know of how i could use the scalar product to help solve these icline problems?
thanks

 

[Delzac]

what do you mean by scalar product? To solve the problems relating to incline planes we usually have to draw the free body diagram of the object, which inevitably lead us to use vectors to solve the problem. Most incline problems wouldn't really require you to use kinetics equations, but more on dynamics and stuff.

 

[radou]

thanks for that reply radou, however does anyone know of how i could use the scalar product to help solve these icline problems?
thanks

Depends on the problem itself. If you could present such a problem, maybe we could see where and why the scalar product is used.

 

[pavadrin]

okay ill post a problem

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-​

http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7534/untitledsv0.jpg

if that's the diagram of the problem and the object applied a force of 50 N irectly downward. This could be converted to -50j if the situation was to be considered in a 2D plane where one i unit would be i unit to the left, and one j unit would be one unit upward, therefore the negative would be the opposite. The frictional force of the surface is constant at -2i -4j, could i show calculate the force required to move the onbject up the incline, which is say on a 45 degree slope? thanks

 

[pavadrin]

does any1 understand how this works, I am really stuck, thanks