Solving a Friction Problem with a 32° Ramp

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem involving a box being pushed up a ramp inclined at 32 degrees. The problem includes considerations of static and kinetic friction coefficients, and participants are tasked with determining the necessary force to keep the box at rest and to move it at a constant speed.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the forces acting on the box, including gravity, normal force, and friction. There is an exploration of free body diagrams and the relationships between these forces. Some participants question the assumptions regarding the coefficients of friction and the mass of the box.

Discussion Status

There is an ongoing exploration of the problem with participants sharing their equations and reasoning. Some have attempted to set up equations based on their interpretations but express uncertainty about their calculations and results. No consensus has been reached, and further clarification is sought.

Contextual Notes

Participants are working under the constraints of the problem as presented, including specific values for mass and friction coefficients. There is a mention of different masses being considered in similar problems, which may affect the approach taken.

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Can someone help with this problem I don't even know where to start I have my freebody diagram drew up but I don't know where to go from there

A UPS worker is loading a truck by pushing boxes up a ramp that makes an angle of 32 degrees above the floor. The coefficients of friction between a box and the ramp are 0.62 and 0.43.

A) What is the minimum push up the ramp that the worker must exert on the 100 box to keep the box at rest? Hint: First draw a freebody diagram for the box without the worker's push and then add the push.

B) What push must the worker exert parallel to the floor (not the plane) to cause the box to move up the plane at a constant speed 0. 2
 
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I am going to assume that 0.62 is static friction and 0.43 is kinetic friction.

The '100 box' is 100kg?
The forces acting on the box are gravity, normal reaction, friction and the worker pushing.

Force due to gravity = mg.

The component parallel to the inclined plane that is going to make it harder for the worker is therefore going to be mgsin(32).

The normal reaction force is going to be perpendicular to the inclined plane which will be equal to mgcos(32).

Multiply this by the co-efficient of static friction to get .62mgcos(32).

To remain stationary he must push enough force to get .62mgcos(32) and mgsin(32) to be equal.
 
yes you assumed right. but I am still unsure as to how to solve this
 
Any follow up on this? I have the same problem but 70kg instead of 100kg. I set up my equation:

Fcos(32) = .62[Fsin(32)+wcos(32)]+wsin(32)
w = mg = weight which for me would be 70(9.8) = 686N

So I get... .848F = .329F + 360.7 + 363.5

Then I solved for F and got F=1395N, which is definitely NOT the correct answer...

Any help would be much appreciated.
 

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