| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ F_{g_x} = m g \sin \theta \] | Calculate the component of gravitational force along the incline for one block. |
| 2 | \[ F_{f_A} = \mu_A m_A g \cos \theta \] | Calculate the frictional force for block A. Frictional force is the product of the friction coefficient, mass, gravitational acceleration, and the cosine of the incline angle. |
| 3 | \[F_{f_B} = \mu_B m_B g \cos \theta \] | Calculate the frictional force for block B using its coefficient of friction. |
| 4 | \[ F_{\text{net}} = 2 F_{g_x} – F_{f_A} – F_{f_B} \] | Net force is the sum of both gravitational components minus the frictional forces for both blocks. |
| 5 | \[ F_{\text{net}} = 2 (m g \sin \theta) – (\mu_A m g \cos \theta \] \[+ \mu_B m g \cos \theta) \] |
Substitute the expressions for gravitational and frictional forces into the net force equation. |
| 6 | \[ F_{\text{net}} = 2 \cdot 5 \cdot 9.8 \sin(32) – (0.2 \cdot 5 \cdot 9.8 \cos(32) \]
\[+ 0.3 \cdot 5 \cdot 9.8 \cos(32)) \] |
Substitute known values: \( m = 5 \ \text{kg}, \ g = 9.8 \ \text{m/s}^2, \ \theta = 32^\circ \). |
| 7 | \[ F_{\text{net}} = 52.012 – 8.3 – 12.5 = \]
\[31.2 \ \text{N} \] |
Calculate the net force acting on both blocks by subtracting the calculated frictional forces from the gravitational force component. |
| 8 | \[a = \frac{F_{\text{net}}}{2m} = \frac{31.2}{2 \times 5} \] | Use Newton’s second law \( F = ma \) to solve for acceleration. |
| 9 | \[ \boxed{3.1 \ \text{m/s}^2} \] | Calculate the acceleration of the blocks. |
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[ T = m_A g \sin \theta – F_{f_A} – m_A a \] | Consider block A. The tension is the net force after subtracting the force needed for acceleration and friction. |
| 2 | \[ T = 5 \cdot 9.8 \sin(32) – (0.2 \cdot 5 \cdot 9.8 \cos(32)) – 5 \cdot 3.1 \] | Substitute known values for mass, gravitational acceleration, incline angle, friction coefficient, and acceleration. |
| 3 | \[T = 26 – 8.3 – 15.6 = 2.1 \ \text{N} \] | Calculate the tension in the cord between the blocks. |
| 4 | \[ \boxed{2.1 \ \text{N}} \] | Express the tension in the cord as the final answer. |
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If the coefficient of static friction is \( \mu_s = 0.5 \), how much force must be applied to a spring (spring constant of \( 0.8 \) \( \text{N/m} \)) which is attached to a block of wood (mass \( 4.0 \) \( \text{kg} \)) in order to just begin to move the block?
Three students are pulling on a bag of skittles. Each is pulling with a horizontal force. If student 1 pulls Eastward with [katex]170 \, \text{N}[/katex], student 2 pulls Southward with [katex]100 \, \text{N}[/katex] and student 3 pulls with [katex]200 \, \text{N}[/katex] at an angle of [katex]20^\circ [/katex] west of north, what is the net force caused by the three students on the bag of skittles?
A 2.0 kg wood box slides down a vertical wood wall while you push on it at a 45 ° angle. The coefficient of kinetic friction of wood µk = 0.200. What magnitude of force should you apply to cause the box to slide down at a constant speed?
What would your bathroom scale read if you weighed yourself on an inclined plane? Assume the mechanism functions properly, even at an angle.
A box is sliding down an incline at a constant speed of \( 2 \) \( \text{m s}^{-1} \). The angle of the incline is \( \theta \). The magnitude of the total of the opposing forces is \( 16 \) \( \text{N} \). What is the force of gravity acting on the box?
A point \( P \) is subjected to three simultaneous forces of magnitudes \( F_A > F_B > F_C \). Point \( P \) is in equilibrium. Which of the following statements is not always true about the magnitudes of the forces?
The heaviest train ever pulled by a single engine was over [katex] 2 \, \text{km} [/katex] long. A force of [katex] 1.13 \times 10^5 \, \text{N} [/katex] is needed to get the train to start moving. If the coefficient of static friction is [katex] 0.741 [/katex] and the coefficient of kinetic friction is [katex] .592 [/katex], what is the train’s mass?
The distance from earth to sun is \(1 \, \text{AU}\). The distance from Saturn to sun is \(9 \, \text{AU}\). Find the period of Saturn’s orbit in years. You can assume that the orbits are circular.

Find the tension in each cable supporting the gymnast who weighs \( 600 \) \( \text{N} \). The gymnast is at rest, holding a junction point where two cables are attached: one cable is horizontal, and the second cable is attached to the ceiling making an angle of \( 37^{\circ} \) above the horizontal, as shown in the diagram.
For linear motion the term “inertia” refers to the same physical concept of
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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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