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Ch. 05 - Using Newton's Laws: Friction, Circular Motion, Drag Forces
Giancoli Douglas - Physics for Scientists and Engineers 5th edition
Giancoli Douglas5th editionPhysics for Scientists and EngineersISBN: 9780137488179Not the one you use?Change textbook
Chapter 5, Problem 33d

(III) A 4.0-kg block is stacked on top of a 12.0-kg block, which is accelerating along a horizontal table at a = 5.2m/s2 (Fig. 5–43). Let μk = μs = μ. What is the force that must be applied to the 12.0-kg block in (a) and in (b), assuming that the table is frictionless?

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Identify the forces acting on the system. The 4.0-kg block experiences a normal force from the 12.0-kg block and a gravitational force downward. The 12.0-kg block experiences a normal force from the table, a gravitational force downward, and the applied force that causes the acceleration.
Determine the total mass of the system. Since the 4.0-kg block is stacked on the 12.0-kg block, the total mass is the sum of their masses: m_total = m₁ + m₂ = 4.0 kg + 12.0 kg.
Use Newton's second law to calculate the net force required to accelerate the system. The net force is given by F_net = m_total * a, where a is the acceleration of the system (5.2 m/s²).
Since the table is frictionless, the applied force (F_applied) must equal the net force calculated in the previous step. This is because there are no opposing frictional forces acting on the 12.0-kg block.
Express the applied force mathematically as F_applied = (m₁ + m₂) * a. Substitute the given values for m₁, m₂, and a to find the magnitude of the applied force.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship is expressed by the formula F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration. Understanding this law is crucial for calculating the force required to accelerate the blocks in the given scenario.
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Friction

Friction is the force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. In this problem, the friction coefficients (μₖ for kinetic and μₛ for static) are given as equal, indicating that the frictional force will play a role if the blocks were on a surface with friction. However, since the table is specified as frictionless, this simplifies the calculations as frictional forces can be ignored.
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Free Body Diagram

A Free Body Diagram (FBD) is a graphical representation used to visualize the forces acting on an object. In this scenario, drawing an FBD for the 12.0-kg block will help identify the forces acting on it, including the applied force and the weight of the block. This visual tool is essential for systematically applying Newton's laws to solve for the required applied force.
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Related Practice
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Two blocks made of different materials connected together by a thin cord slide down a ramp inclined at an angle θ to the horizontal, Fig. 5–40 (block B is above block A). The masses of the blocks are mA and mB, and the coefficients of friction are μA and μB. If mA = mB = 4.0kg, and μA = 0.20 and μB = 0.30, determine the tension in the cord, for an angle θ = 32°.

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