An object sliding down a frictionless ramp experiences no force along the incline, but the ramp exerts a normal force perpendicular to the incline. The normal force can be calculated using the object's weight and the angle of the ramp. In a specific example involving a hamster on a ramp, the normal force must be determined using trigonometric functions and Newton's laws. The scale reading under the ramp accounts for the vertical component of the normal force and the weight of the ramp, not the entire weight of the hamster. The final scale reading can vary slightly due to rounding in calculations, emphasizing the importance of accurate component analysis.