Normal forces on sphere between wedge A and wall B

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rajumahtora
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Homework Statement



Find Normal Contact force between the sphere and wedge A and wall B.
All surfaces are frictionless and in rest.
Diagram :-
Sketch of a sphere resting in the corner between a sloped wedge labelled A on the left and a vertical wall labelled B on the right, with a flat floor beneath.


2. The attempt at a solution

Let normal force on A be N and on B be R.
My Diagram :-
Free-body diagram of a sphere resting on an inclined wedge surface at angle θ: normal force N acts perpendicular to the incline, N sinθ acts horizontally, mg acts vertically down, and mg cosθ is shown along the incline.


By The Diagram,
N = mgcosθ ...eq(1)
R = Nsinθ ...eq(2)
= mgcosθsinθ

But the answer if :- N = (mg)/cosθ
it is not matching with eq(1).
How is this possible?
Please help me out and explain why it is wrong
 
Attachments
  • Free-body style sketch of a sphere resting in the corner between an inclined wedge labelled A on the left and a vertical wall labelled B on the right, on a flat base.
    paint.jpg
    7.7 KB · Views: 914
  • Free-body diagram of a sphere resting against an inclined wedge and a vertical wall, with forces N, N sinθ, mg, and mg cosθ labelled and angle θ marked at the base of the incline.
    paint1.jpg
    14.2 KB · Views: 876
N is not equal to mgcosθ. There is a component of R along N. Draw a separate FBD for the sphere showing the three forces.
 
Pranav-Arora said:
N is not equal to mgcosθ. There is a component of R along N. Draw a separate FBD for the sphere showing the three forces.
But how N is not equal to mgcosθ and is R = Nsinθ correct component
 
rajumahtora said:
But how N is not equal to mgcosθ and is R = Nsinθ correct component

R=Nsinθ is correct. As I said before, there is a component of R along N so you will have to take that into account while balancing the forces in the direction normal to wedge. Do you see now?
 
Pranav-Arora said:
N is not equal to mgcosθ. There is a component of R along N. Draw a separate FBD for the sphere showing the three forces.
But how N is not equal to mgcosθ?
 
rajumahtora said:
But how N is not equal to mgcosθ?

R also has a component parallel to N.


Resolve N into horizontal and vertical components. The sum of all forces is zero, and that is valid to the horizontal and vertical components, separately.

ehild