Kinetic friction Homework Problem

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Homework Help Overview

The problem involves a child sliding down an incline with a 28-degree angle, where the speed at the bottom is half of what it would be on a frictionless slide. The objective is to calculate the coefficient of kinetic friction between the slide and the child.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the forces acting on the child, including the role of kinetic friction and normal force. Questions arise about the validity of the acceleration equation presented and the relevance of the normal force in the context of the problem.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with some participants providing insights into the forces involved and others questioning the assumptions made in the original poster's solution. There is a mix of agreement on certain aspects, but also significant questioning of the reasoning behind the equations used.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the need for clarity on the role of the normal force in the context of kinetic friction and its impact on the acceleration of the child down the slide. The original poster's approach is being scrutinized for its assumptions and calculations.

carljohnston2
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Hi there, I need help with understanding this guy's solution thanks!

The kinetic friction force will be up the slide to oppose the motion.
We choose the positive direction in the direction of the acceleration.
From the force diagram for the child, we have ?F = ma:
x-component: mg sin [tex]\theta[/tex] – Ffr = ma;
y-component: FN – mg cos [tex]\theta[/tex] = 0.
When we combine these, we get
a = g sin [tex]\theta[/tex] – [tex]\mu[/tex]kg cos [tex]\theta[/tex] = g(sin [tex]\theta[/tex] – [tex]\mu[/tex]k cos [tex]\theta[/tex]).
We can use this for the frictionless slide if we set [tex]theta[/tex]k = 0.
For the motion of the child, we have
v2 = v02 + 2a(x – x0) = 0 + 2ad, where d is the distance along the slide.
If we form the ratio for the two slides, we get
(vfriction/vnone)2 = afriction/anone = (sin [tex]\theta[/tex] – [tex]\mu[/tex]k cos [tex]\theta[/tex])/sin [tex]\theta[/tex];
(!)2 = (sin 28° – [tex]\mu[/tex]k cos 28°)/sin 28°, which gives [tex]\mu[/tex]k = 0.40.
 
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The question is a child slides down a slide with a 28 degree incline and at the bottom her speed is precisely half what it would have been if the slide had been frictionless. Calculate the coefficient of the kinetic friction between the slide and the child.
 


anybody?
 


I analyzed this question and came up with something quite different. You should ask him why a = [tex]g sin \theta - \mu kg cos \theta[/tex] is true. Because I cannot see how the normal force has any role to play in the x direction. As far as I know [tex]F _{N}[/tex] is only related to static friction.
 


r u in gr.2 physics. your ignorant
 


[tex]a = gsin(\theta) - \mu kgcos(\theta)[/tex] is correct.

Which parts do you need help with understanding? Or do you not understand any of it?

First sums up all the forces acting on the child, then finds that the net force to allow the child to move is in the direction parallel down the slide.

He re-writes his equation for acceleration by dividing the RHS by mass. (F = ma).

recognising that the coefficient of kinetic friction is going to be a linear value, he takes a ratio of velocities of the child with friction over the velocity of child without friction (compensating for the factor of two as specified in the question) and let's that equal a ratio of acceleration with friction and without friction.

Then solves for the coefficient
 

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