Questions Regarding a Cat Going Up a Ramp

[erobz]

They're pushing to the right so that one's positive, but since the weight is pushing down, it would be -(Fx,weight)?

So long as you have defined up the slope as positive…yes. And when you say down you mean to the left…if we are talking about the component of the cats weight parallel to the slope.

 

[mazia]

Hi everyone. Thank you for your help! I ended up working through it with my friend who figured out what to do. I feel annoyed that it took me this long but I'm relieved I can move on to the next question. I appreciate everyone's patience with me! Thank you!

 

[kuruman]

That's great! Would you care to post your solution here for the benefit of others who might encounter a similar problem in the future?

 

[Steve4Physics]

Sorry to interrupt but - just in case - it may be worth highlighting a possible misunderstanding.

you guys said that theta is the angle between force and displacement. I looked at 24 again, and I re-wrote the two things as vectors (tip-to-tail, is what I learned),

Drawing vectors 'tip-to-tail' is part of a method for adding 2 vectors of the same type (e.g. 2 forces or 2 displacements).

You can't add different types of vectors this way - or any other way for that matter! E.g. you can't add a displacement and a force - it wouldn't make sense.

Apologies if that was already understood though.

 

[mazia]

That's great! Would you care to post your solution here for the benefit of others who might encounter a similar problem in the future?

Sure, I'll add it to the original post!

 

[mazia]

Sorry to interrupt but - just in case - it may be worth highlighting a possible misunderstanding.Drawing vectors 'tip-to-tail' is part of a method for adding 2 vectors of the same type (e.g. 2 forces or 2 displacements).

You can't add different types of vectors this way - or any other way for that matter! E.g. you can't add a displacement and a force - it wouldn't make sense.

Apologies if that was already understood though.

Oh I see, I didn't realize this, thank you!

 

[kuruman]

Sure, I'll add it to the original post!

Please don't edit the original post because it will be confusing to newcomers. Just post the solution at the end of the thread as if you were replying to the last message so that people can see the path that you followed to get there.