What are the forces acting on a sliding box?

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on analyzing the forces acting on a box sliding down an inclined plane, specifically through the lens of a free body diagram (FBD). Three primary forces are identified: gravitational force acting downward, normal force perpendicular to the box, and frictional force opposing the box's movement. The participants clarify that the equation tan θ = µs is derived when considering static friction at the threshold of sliding, where the box is not yet in motion. There is a debate about the equality of the normal and frictional forces, as well as the presence of static friction in this scenario. The conversation emphasizes the application of Newton's first law to understand the forces in both parallel and perpendicular directions to the incline.
SelenaT
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I was asked to draw a free body diagram to derive the equation tan θ = µs for the following situation:
A box sliding down an inclined plane.

My FBD has 3 forces
- gravitational forces pointing downward (horizontally) <-- longest vector
- normal force perpendicular to the box
- frictional force pointing in the opposite direction of the boxes movement

normal force and frictional force have vectors of the same length.
There is no kinetic or static force right? I'm not missing any forces?
 
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Firstly, what does the 's' represent? Because, otherwise you can just equate the component of the weight along the inclined plane with the normal reaction force, which should give you:
\begin{equation}
\tan \theta = \mu
\end{equation}
 
SelenaT said:
I was asked to draw a free body diagram to derive the equation tan theta = µs for the following situation:
A box sliding down an inclined plane.
If you are looking for the static friction coefficient , the box cannot be sliding down the incline. It is just on the verge of about to slide at the angle of incline theta
My FBD has 3 forces
- gravitational forces pointing downward (horizontally) <-- longest vector
gravity force always points down ...it has components down the plane and perpendicular to the plane
- normal force perpendicular to the box
- frictional force pointing in the opposite direction of the boxes movement
yes
normal force and frictional force have vectors of the same length.
There is no kinetic or static force right? I'm not missing any forces?
thats all the forces, but why should the normal and friction forces be equal in magnitude? And why do you say there is no static (friction ) force? Draw free body diagram and apply Newton1st law in the directions down and perpendicular to the plane.
 
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