Question

In the figure shown,

(a) Find the force of friction acting on the block.

(b) State whether the block will move or not. If yes then with what acceleration?

Answer 1

(a) The force of friction acting on the block is 6.4 N.

(b) Yes, the block will move with an acceleration of 3.8 m/s².

Answer 2

1. Resolve all forces: Break down all forces into horizontal and vertical components.

2. Calculate Normal Force: Sum vertical forces and set to zero (since there's no vertical acceleration) to find the normal force.

3. Calculate Maximum Static Friction: Use $f_{s\_max} = \mu_s N$.

4. Calculate Net Applied Horizontal Force: Sum all horizontal components of applied forces.

5. Check for motion: If the net applied horizontal force exceeds the maximum static friction, the block moves.

6. Calculate Kinetic Friction: If the block moves, the friction becomes kinetic friction, $f_k = \mu_k N$.

7. Calculate Acceleration: Apply Newton's second law ($\Sigma F_x = ma$) using the net horizontal force (applied force minus kinetic friction) to find the acceleration.