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Objective: Determine the minimum coefficient of friction to keep the block from sliding on an inclined plane at 30°.
| Step | Formula Derivation | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | [katex]\text{Force due to gravity along the incline, } F_{\text{gravity}} = mg \sin(\theta)[/katex] | The component of gravitational force acting down the incline. |
| 2 | [katex]\text{Normal force, } N = mg \cos(\theta)[/katex] | The component of gravitational force acting perpendicular to the incline. |
| 3 | [katex]\text{Frictional force, } f = \mu N[/katex] | Frictional force is the product of the coefficient of friction and the normal force. |
| 4 | [katex]\text{At the threshold of motion, } f = F_{\text{gravity}}[/katex] | The block is on the verge of sliding, so frictional force equals the gravitational force component. |
| 5 | [katex]\mu mg \cos(\theta) = mg \sin(\theta)[/katex] | Substitute step 3 into step 4. |
| 6 | [katex]\mu = \frac{\sin(\theta)}{\cos(\theta)}[/katex] | Divide both sides by [katex]mg \cos(\theta)[/katex] to isolate [katex]\mu[/katex]. |
| 7 | [katex]\mu = \tan(\theta)[/katex] | The tangent of an angle is the ratio of the sine to the cosine of that angle. |
| 8 | [katex]\mu = \tan(30^\circ) = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}}[/katex] | Calculate the tangent of 30 degrees. |
Final answer: [katex]\boxed{\mu = \frac{1}{\sqrt{3}} \text{ (Option C)}}[/katex]
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In the diagram shown, a \(20 \, \text{N}\) force is applied to block \(B\) (\(7 \, \text{kg}\)). Block \(A\) has a mass of \(3 \, \text{kg}\). Assume frictionless conditions.

A small block slides without friction along a track toward a circular loop. The block has more than enough speed to remain firmly in contact with the track as it goes around the loop. The magnitude of the block’s acceleration at the top of the loop is
A box with a mass of \( M \) rests on a scale in an elevator that is moving downwards. The elevator slows with an acceleration of \( \dfrac{g}{4} \). Which of the following will give the reading of the scale?
A student presses a \( 0.5 \) \( \text{kg} \) book against the wall. If the \( \mu_s \) between the book and the wall is \( 0.2 \), what force must the student apply to hold the book in place?
A \(3300 \, \text{m}\)-high mountain is located on the equator. How much faster does a climber on top of the mountain move than a surfer at a nearby beach? The Earth’s radius is \(6400 \, \text{km}\) and the Earth’s mass is \(5.97 \times 10^{24} \, \text{kg}\).
The Earth’s radius is \(6.37 \times 10^{6} \, \text{m}\). What is the radius of a planet that has the same mass as Earth but on which the free-fall acceleration is \(5.50 \, \text{m/s}^2\)?
A block rests on a frictionless incline. Which statement is correct?
A pair of fuzzy dice is hanging by a string from your rearview mirror. You speed up from a stoplight. During the acceleration, the dice do not move vertically; the string makes an angle of \( 22^\circ \) with the vertical. The dice have a mass of \( 0.10 \, \text{kg} \). Determine the acceleration.
A spring with spring constant \( k = 2.3 \) \( \text{N/m} \) is attached to an object of mass \( 10 \) \( \text{kg} \). If the object is hung from the ceiling by this spring, how much would the spring be stretched?
Three identical blocks are being pulled or pushed across a rough horizontal surface by force of identical magnitude F, as shown in the drawing below. Rank the kinetic frictional forces that act on the blocks from smallest to greatest.

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| Kinematics | Forces |
|---|---|
| \(\Delta x = v_i t + \frac{1}{2} at^2\) | \(F = ma\) |
| \(v = v_i + at\) | \(F_g = \frac{G m_1 m_2}{r^2}\) |
| \(v^2 = v_i^2 + 2a \Delta x\) | \(f = \mu N\) |
| \(\Delta x = \frac{v_i + v}{2} t\) | \(F_s =-kx\) |
| \(v^2 = v_f^2 \,-\, 2a \Delta x\) |
| Circular Motion | Energy |
|---|---|
| \(F_c = \frac{mv^2}{r}\) | \(KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2\) |
| \(a_c = \frac{v^2}{r}\) | \(PE = mgh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{r}{g}}\) | \(KE_i + PE_i = KE_f + PE_f\) |
| \(W = Fd \cos\theta\) |
| Momentum | Torque and Rotations |
|---|---|
| \(p = mv\) | \(\tau = r \cdot F \cdot \sin(\theta)\) |
| \(J = \Delta p\) | \(I = \sum mr^2\) |
| \(p_i = p_f\) | \(L = I \cdot \omega\) |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Fluids |
|---|---|
| \(F = -kx\) | \(P = \frac{F}{A}\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{l}{g}}\) | \(P_{\text{total}} = P_{\text{atm}} + \rho gh\) |
| \(T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{m}{k}}\) | \(Q = Av\) |
| \(x(t) = A \cos(\omega t + \phi)\) | \(F_b = \rho V g\) |
| \(a = -\omega^2 x\) | \(A_1v_1 = A_2v_2\) |
| Constant | Description |
|---|---|
| [katex]g[/katex] | Acceleration due to gravity, typically [katex]9.8 , \text{m/s}^2[/katex] on Earth’s surface |
| [katex]G[/katex] | Universal Gravitational Constant, [katex]6.674 \times 10^{-11} , \text{N} \cdot \text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2[/katex] |
| [katex]\mu_k[/katex] and [katex]\mu_s[/katex] | Coefficients of kinetic ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) and static ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) friction, dimensionless. Static friction ([katex]\mu_s[/katex]) is usually greater than kinetic friction ([katex]\mu_k[/katex]) as it resists the start of motion. |
| [katex]k[/katex] | Spring constant, in [katex]\text{N/m}[/katex] |
| [katex] M_E = 5.972 \times 10^{24} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Earth |
| [katex] M_M = 7.348 \times 10^{22} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Moon |
| [katex] M_M = 1.989 \times 10^{30} , \text{kg} [/katex] | Mass of the Sun |
| Variable | SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]s[/katex] (Displacement) | [katex]\text{meters (m)}[/katex] |
| [katex]v[/katex] (Velocity) | [katex]\text{meters per second (m/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]a[/katex] (Acceleration) | [katex]\text{meters per second squared (m/s}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]t[/katex] (Time) | [katex]\text{seconds (s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]m[/katex] (Mass) | [katex]\text{kilograms (kg)}[/katex] |
| Variable | Derived SI Unit |
|---|---|
| [katex]F[/katex] (Force) | [katex]\text{newtons (N)}[/katex] |
| [katex]E[/katex], [katex]PE[/katex], [katex]KE[/katex] (Energy, Potential Energy, Kinetic Energy) | [katex]\text{joules (J)}[/katex] |
| [katex]P[/katex] (Power) | [katex]\text{watts (W)}[/katex] |
| [katex]p[/katex] (Momentum) | [katex]\text{kilogram meters per second (kgm/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\omega[/katex] (Angular Velocity) | [katex]\text{radians per second (rad/s)}[/katex] |
| [katex]\tau[/katex] (Torque) | [katex]\text{newton meters (Nm)}[/katex] |
| [katex]I[/katex] (Moment of Inertia) | [katex]\text{kilogram meter squared (kgm}^2\text{)}[/katex] |
| [katex]f[/katex] (Frequency) | [katex]\text{hertz (Hz)}[/katex] |
Metric Prefixes
Example of using unit analysis: Convert 5 kilometers to millimeters.
Start with the given measurement: [katex]\text{5 km}[/katex]
Use the conversion factors for kilometers to meters and meters to millimeters: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}}[/katex]
Perform the multiplication: [katex]\text{5 km} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{m}}{1 \, \text{km}} \times \frac{10^3 \, \text{mm}}{1 \, \text{m}} = 5 \times 10^3 \times 10^3 \, \text{mm}[/katex]
Simplify to get the final answer: [katex]\boxed{5 \times 10^6 \, \text{mm}}[/katex]
Prefix | Symbol | Power of Ten | Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
Pico- | p | [katex]10^{-12}[/katex] | 0.000000000001 |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | 0.000000001 |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | 0.000001 |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | 0.001 |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | 0.01 |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | 0.1 |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | 1 |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | 10 |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | 100 |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | 1,000 |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | 1,000,000 |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000 |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] | 1,000,000,000,000 |
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