Work Done By Friction on flight bag

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a flight attendant pulling a 75.2 N flight bag at a constant velocity along a level airport floor. The force of friction and work done by said force are calculated using the given information. The conversation also mentions the possibility of finding the coefficient of kinetic friction between the bag and the floor. The final answers for the three parts of the problem, involving work, friction force, and coefficient of kinetic friction, are 3039 J, -3039 J, and 0.5539, respectively.
  • #1
Jatsix30
8
0
I have no clue how to do this problem :mad: :

A flight attendant pulls her 75.2 N flight bag a distance of 268 m along a level airport floor at a constant velocity. The force she exerts is 33.0 N at an angle of 69.9 degrees above the horizontal. Find the work done by the force of friction on the flight bag. Answer in units of J.

So far, I figured that the total the force parallel to the surface is 11.34 N...
 
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  • #2
Ok I don't know what you mean by the parallel force (as I am a stupid Swede)
Think about what friction is, the force of friction equals what?
(I forgot the letters) F(friction)=mu(friction coeffecient)*Fn(the force from the ground repelling the bag) damn i need to work on my English... anywho
So in order to calculate the friction force, which you will use to calculate the friction work since work = force*distance you will need to figure out Fn (assuming that you know the friction coeffecient).
If you split up the force she exerts into x and y axises you can get the force she exerts upwards.
What must the result of all forces working in the y-axis be since the bag is only moving horisontally? From here you should be able to get Fn thus friction force thus friction work.
If you don't understand something I'll gladly explain, elaborate
I hope you understand that I do not want to give you a straight answer
 
  • #3
Jatsix30 said:
I have no clue how to do this problem :mad: :

A flight attendant pulls her 75.2 N flight bag a distance of 268 m along a level airport floor at a constant velocity. The force she exerts is 33.0 N at an angle of 69.9 degrees above the horizontal. Find the work done by the force of friction on the flight bag. Answer in units of J.

So far, I figured that the total the force parallel to the surface is 11.34 N...

You're right, the X component of the pulling force is 11.34 N. And since the attendant is pulling her bag at a constant velocity, the sum of all forces in the X axis (and Y, but we don't care about that) must be 0. Therefore:

[tex]\Sigma F_x = F_{pull}\cos \alpha - f_k = 0[/tex]

So f(k) = 11.34 N. And what's the work of that force over a distance of 268 meters?

[tex]W = \int _0^{268m}{\vec{f_k}\cdot d\vec{r}}[/tex]

Just remebmer that f(k) is always in the opposite direction of dr, so the dot product will be -f(k)dr, and the work will be negative. Final answer should be 3039 J.
 
  • #4
hmmm.....
 
  • #5
Chen said:
You're right, the X component of the pulling force is 11.34 N. And since the attendant is pulling her bag at a constant velocity, the sum of all forces in the X axis (and Y, but we don't care about that) must be 0. Therefore:

[tex]\Sigma F_x = F_{pull}\cos \alpha - f_k = 0[/tex]

So f(k) = 11.34 N. And what's the work of that force over a distance of 268 meters?

[tex]W = \int _0^{268m}{\vec{f_k}\cdot d\vec{r}}[/tex]

Just remebmer that f(k) is always in the opposite direction of dr, so the dot product will be -f(k)dr, and the work will be negative. Final answer should be 3039 J.

what about the 75.2 N flight bag - since u can get the friction force parallel to the surface: (mg = 75.2N)

[tex]F_{friction} = mg \sin \alpha[/tex]
 
  • #6
:approve: Thank you both so much.

btw, the answer was in fact -3039
 
  • #7
so the 75.2 N put on the question does nothing...
 
  • #8
nevermind - i get it now :)
 
  • #9
futb0l said:
so the 75.2 N put on the question does nothing...
I can't really understand why the included the bag's weight in the problem, unless one of the following questions would be "What's the coefficient of kinetic friction between the bag and the floor".
 
  • #10
That, by the way, was a problem found in the problem bank of hw.utexas.edu. I assume that the topic starter is a Stuy kid in SPXR, so a solution involving integration was probably not necessary :wink:.

The weight of the bag tells you that the bag is, in fact, traveling parallel to the ground and is not being lifted off the ground :smile:. Of course, the weight of the bag is offset by the y-pull.

Chen, you're right. The problem comes in three parts (my question had different numbers):

A flight attendant pulls her 62.2 N flight bag
a distance of 298 m along a level airport floor
at a constant velocity. The force she exerts is
38.1 N at an angle of 66.7° above the horizon-
tal.
a) Find the work she does on the flight bag.
Answer in units of J.
b) Find the work done by the force of friction
on the flight bag. Answer in units of J.
c) Find the coefficient of kinetic friction be-
tween the flight bag and the floor.

My correct answers:

a) 4491 J
b) -4491 J
c) 0.5539
 
Last edited:

1. What is work done by friction on a flight bag?

The work done by friction on a flight bag refers to the energy that is lost due to the frictional force between the bag and its surroundings. This energy is converted into heat and sound, causing a decrease in the bag's kinetic energy and ultimately slowing it down.

2. How does friction affect the flight bag during travel?

Friction can have a significant impact on the flight bag during travel. It can cause the bag to slow down, making it more difficult to move and potentially causing damage to the bag's material. Friction can also generate heat, which can be harmful to any delicate items inside the bag.

3. What factors can influence the amount of work done by friction on a flight bag?

The amount of work done by friction on a flight bag can be influenced by several factors, including the weight of the bag, the surface it is moving on, and the speed at which it is traveling. Additionally, the texture and material of the bag and the surface it is moving on can also affect the amount of friction.

4. How can friction on a flight bag be reduced?

To reduce the amount of work done by friction on a flight bag, there are a few steps that can be taken. One option is to use a bag with wheels, which can decrease the amount of contact between the bag and the ground. Another option is to use lubricants, such as silicone spray or wax, on the wheels or bottom of the bag to reduce friction.

5. Can friction on a flight bag be beneficial?

While friction on a flight bag is generally seen as a negative force, it can also have some benefits. Friction can provide stability and control during takeoff and landing, preventing the bag from sliding around in the cabin. Additionally, friction can also help to slow down the bag in emergency situations, such as during turbulence or a sudden stop.

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