How Does Mass Affect the Time It Takes Objects to Slide Down an Inclined Plane?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the relationship between the mass of objects and the time it takes for them to slide down a 10 m inclined plane at a 30-degree angle. It is established that both a 5 kg and a 20 kg object will take the same time to descend due to the acceleration being independent of mass, calculated at 4.9 m/s². Additionally, there is a debate on whether the velocity of an object thrown upwards decreases or increases once it starts falling, with clarification that while the direction may be negative, the magnitude of velocity always increases as it falls. The concept of magnitude as the absolute value is emphasized, confirming that speed increases regardless of the direction assigned to the velocity. Overall, the discussion reinforces key physics principles regarding motion on an incline and the nature of velocity.
x86
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Homework Statement


If the incline plane is 10 m long, and it is elevated at an angle of 30 degrees: If a 5kg object takes t1 seconds to go down the ramp and a 10kg object takes t2 seconds to go down the ramp... What is the relationship between t1 and t2?


Homework Equations


F = ma
Fx of slope = mgsinx
Fnorm = mgcosx


The Attempt at a Solution


If the incline plane is 10 m long, and it is elevated at an angle of 30 degrees... Then this means the x component of acceleration down the ramp is 4.9 m/s^2 meaning that a 5 kg object and 20 kg object will take the same amount of time to go down this 10 m ramp.

This is correct, right?

Secondly:

Also, if you throw an object up, when Vf = 0 it will start accelerating downwards.

Does this mean the velocity increases, or decreases? I answered in class that it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity (i.e. up can be negative or down can be negative). The teacher said this is wrong, and the velocity has to increase. Why?
 
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x86 said:

Homework Statement


If the incline plane is 10 m long, and it is elevated at an angle of 30 degrees: If a 5kg object takes t1 seconds to go down the ramp and a 10kg object takes t2 seconds to go down the ramp... What is the relationship between t1 and t2?


Homework Equations


F = ma
Fx of slope = mgsinx
Fnorm = mgcosx


The Attempt at a Solution


If the incline plane is 10 m long, and it is elevated at an angle of 30 degrees... Then this means the x component of acceleration down the ramp is 4.9 m/s^2 meaning that a 5 kg object and 20 kg object will take the same amount of time to go down this 10 m ramp.

This is correct, right?
Yes, that is correct.

Secondly:

Also, if you throw an object up, when Vf = 0 it will start accelerating downwards.

Does this mean the velocity increases, or decreases? I answered in class that it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity (i.e. up can be negative or down can be negative). The teacher said this is wrong, and the velocity has to increase. Why?

It's possible that your teacher was thinking about the magnitude of the velocity (also known as speed) which does increase as the object starts falling downwards.
 
Sourabh N said:
Yes, that is correct.
It's possible that your teacher was thinking about the magnitude of the velocity (also known as speed) which does increase as the object starts falling downwards.

Thank you.

Also, it does increase if it falls downwards. But, what if you make downwards negative and upwards positive?

Then say it will go from 0 to -10m/s to -20m/s etc. Would this be considered decreasing?

Or is the magnitude of the quantity the absolute value of it?

magnitude velocity = |V|

Sourabh N said:
Magnitude is the absolute value, so, yes, it will always be increasing.

If your answer was "it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity (i.e. up can be negative or down can be negative)", it's absolutely right.
But if instead your answer was "it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity", he might have ruled it out because it's incomplete.
Ah okay, thank you
 
Last edited:
Magnitude is the absolute value, so, yes, it will always be increasing.

If your answer was "it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity (i.e. up can be negative or down can be negative)", it's absolutely right.
But if instead your answer was "it depends on relativity, being as its a vector quantity", he might have ruled it out because it's incomplete.
 
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