# Newton's Second Law

## Homework Statement

Two calibrated elevation blocks have a combined thickness of 1.86 cm. Find the angle of elevation of the 1.00-m long track for this situation.

F = ma?

## The Attempt at a Solution

I'm having a LOT of trouble, even beginning to draw the picture for this problem. I think if someone could help me draw the picture, I would be good to go :)
Aaaaand, I'm not exactly sure what the 'thickness' refers to? The weight?

I know that I haven't really provided a good enough attempt at a solution :/ But it's because I am honestly really lost as to where I even begin. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated :)

PhanthomJay
Homework Helper
Gold Member
Without a diagram, I'm just guessing that the right end of the track is elevated 1.86 cm above the left end, creating an incline sloping upward at a small angle. Use trig to find the angle, I guess. Is there another part to this problem that requires you to use Newton's law?

tiny-tim
Homework Helper
Is there another part to this problem that requires you to use Newton's law?

Yes, what does Newton's second law have to do with this?

Have you missed out part of the question? … it doesn't seem to make sense on it own.

Hmmm...
Well, this is one of our pre-labs question. And the lab is titled: Newton's Second Law of Motion. So I figured it had something to do with Newton's Laws?
Also, why do they include the thickness of the blocks, if it's just a simple trig question?