My weight cancels out the normal force from the floor

In summary, when standing on the ground and leaning on a wall, the forces acting on you are your weight, the normal force from the floor, and the force exerted on you by the wall. The normal force from the floor and the horizontal friction force from your shoes cancel out, while the horizontal and vertical reaction forces from the wall keep you from falling or sliding.
  • #1
PhysKid24
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If I'm standing on the ground and at the same time leaning on a wall, what are the forces acting on me? My weight cancels out the normal force from the floor, but what cancels out the force exerted on me by the wall, say horizontally, so as to make the sum of the forces 0? Thanks.
 
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  • #2
PhysKid24 said:
If I'm standing on the ground and at the same time leaning on a wall, what are the forces acting on me? My weight cancels out the normal force from the floor, but what cancels out the force exerted on me by the wall, say horizontally, so as to make the sum of the forces 0? Thanks.


In your feet you have two reaction forces. One normal force because you are standing on the ground (due to gravity) and one that is directed horizontally in the opposite direction (towards the origin of the reference frame if you will) because of friction between your shoes and the ground. Otherwise, you would fall over. Then in your center of mass you have gravity working in onto you. At the point where you touch the wall you will have two reactionforces again. One horizontal (otherwise you would breake the wall and fall through it) and one force pointed upwards due to friction. Otherwise you would slide down...

regards
marlon
 
  • #3
Normally the vertical friction force at the wall is disregarded...

marlon, just as an addendum
 

1. How does my weight cancel out the normal force from the floor?

The normal force is a reaction force exerted by the floor on an object in contact with it. When you stand on the floor, your weight creates a downward force, but the floor also exerts an equal and opposite force, known as the normal force, to support your weight and prevent you from falling through the floor. These two forces cancel each other out, resulting in a net force of zero.

2. Why is it important for my weight to cancel out the normal force from the floor?

If your weight did not cancel out the normal force from the floor, you would either sink into the floor or experience a lifting force that would make you float. This would make it difficult to walk or stand on the ground and would result in a very different experience of gravity.

3. Does my weight always cancel out the normal force from the floor?

No, your weight only cancels out the normal force from the floor when you are standing still and the forces acting on you are in equilibrium. If you are moving, jumping, or in an accelerated frame of reference, the normal force from the floor may not be equal to your weight.

4. How does the weight and normal force relationship change with different objects?

The weight and normal force relationship remains the same for all objects, regardless of their weight or mass. This is because the normal force is always equal and opposite to the weight of the object, regardless of its size or composition.

5. Can the normal force from the floor ever be greater than my weight?

Yes, the normal force from the floor can be greater than your weight if you are standing on a surface that is accelerating upwards, such as an elevator or a rocket. In this case, the normal force is greater than your weight because it must also counteract the upward acceleration of the surface.

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