Solving as a single conservation of energy equation:
| Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|
| \[W_F = F(6)\] | Work done by the applied horizontal force over \(6\,\text{m}\). |
| \[W_{f,h} = \mu_h m g (6)\] | Magnitude of work done by kinetic friction on the horizontal; friction is \(\mu_h m g\) and acts over \(6\,\text{m}\). |
| \[N_i = m g \cos\theta\] | Normal force on the incline is reduced by the angle, giving \(N_i\). |
| \[W_{f,i} = \mu_i m g \cos\theta\, \Delta x\] | Magnitude of work done by kinetic friction on the incline over distance \(\Delta x\). |
| \[U_g = m g\, \Delta x\, \sin\theta\] | Final gravitational potential energy; vertical rise is \(\Delta x\sin\theta\). Final kinetic energy is zero. |
| \[F(6) – \mu_h m g (6) – \mu_i m g \cos\theta\, \Delta x = m g\, \Delta x\, \sin\theta\] | Single energy balance: input work from the horizontal force minus both friction works equals the final gravitational potential energy. |
| \[F(6) – \mu_h m g (6) = m g\,(\sin\theta + \mu_i \cos\theta)\, \Delta x\] | Collect the \(\Delta x\) terms on the right and factor. |
| \[\Delta x = \frac{F(6) – \mu_h m g (6)}{m g\,(\sin\theta + \mu_i \cos\theta)}\] | Algebraic solution for \(\Delta x\). |
| \[\Delta x = \frac{110(6) – 0.25(12)(9.8)(6)}{(12)(9.8)\left(\sin(17^\circ) + 0.45\cos(17^\circ)\right)}\] | Substitute \(F = 110\,\text{N}\), \(\mu_h = 0.25\), \(\mu_i = 0.45\), \(m = 12\,\text{kg}\), \(g = 9.8\,\text{m/s}^2\), \(\theta = 17^\circ\). |
| \[\Delta x = \frac{660 – 176.4}{(12)(9.8)\left(\sin(17^\circ) + 0.45\cos(17^\circ)\right)}\] | Compute the numerator: \(110\times 6 = 660\), \(0.25\times 12\times 9.8\times 6 = 176.4\). |
| \[\sin(17^\circ) \approx 0.2924,\quad \cos(17^\circ) \approx 0.9563\] | Numerical trig values for \(17^\circ\). |
| \[\sin(17^\circ) + 0.45\cos(17^\circ) \approx 0.7227\] | Combine the angle terms in the denominator. |
| \[(12)(9.8)(0.7227) \approx 84.99\] | Evaluate \(m g(\sin\theta + \mu_i\cos\theta)\). |
| \[\Delta x \approx \frac{483.6}{84.99} \approx 5.7\,\text{m}\] | Final numerical evaluation for \(\Delta x\). |
| \[\boxed{\Delta x \approx 5.7\,\text{m}}\] | Distance slid up the incline before stopping. |
Alternatively you can split the motion up into (1) horizontal motion and (2) motion up the incline, then apply conservation of energy to each part to yield the same answer:
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[N = m g\] | The normal force on a horizontal surface equals the object’s weight \(m g\). |
| 2 | \[f_k = \mu_k N = \mu_k m g\] | Kinetic friction magnitude is the product of coefficient \(\mu_k\) and normal force. |
| 3 | \[F_{\text{net}} = F_{\text{app}} – f_k\] | Net force equals applied force minus friction (opposite direction). |
| 4 | \[W_{\text{net}} = F_{\text{net}}\, \Delta x\] | Work by the net force over displacement \(\Delta x = 6\,\text{m}\). |
| 5 | \[W_{\text{net}} = \tfrac12 m v_x^2 – \tfrac12 m v_i^2\] | Work–energy theorem; the object starts from rest so \(v_i = 0\). |
| 6 | \[v_x = \sqrt{\frac{2 F_{\text{net}}\, \Delta x}{m}}\] | Solving the work–energy relation for the final speed. |
| 7 | \[v_x = \sqrt{\frac{2 (110\,\text{N} – 0.25\, (12\,\text{kg})(9.8\,\text{m/s}^2)) (6\,\text{m})}{12\,\text{kg}}} \;\approx\; 9.0\,\text{m/s}\] | Numeric substitution gives the speed at the base of the incline. |
| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[KE_{\text{base}} = \tfrac12 m v_x^2\] | Kinetic energy as the object reaches the incline. |
| 2 | \[\Delta PE = m g (\Delta x \sin \theta)\] | Gravitational potential gain on an incline: height is \(\Delta x \sin \theta\). |
| 3 | \[W_{f} = -\mu_k m g \cos \theta \; \Delta x\] | Work done by kinetic friction along the incline (opposite motion). |
| 4 | \[KE_{\text{base}} = \Delta PE + |W_{f}|\] | All initial kinetic energy is dissipated by gravity and friction until rest. |
| 5 | \[\tfrac12 m v_x^2 = m g (\sin \theta + \mu_k \cos \theta) \, \Delta x\] | Combine energy losses (gravity + friction) into a single factor. |
| 6 | \[\Delta x = \frac{\tfrac12 m v_x^2}{m g (\sin \theta + \mu_k \cos \theta)}\] | Algebraic isolation of the distance up the incline. |
| 7 | \[\Delta x = \frac{\tfrac12 (12)(9.0^2)}{(12)(9.8)(\sin 17^\circ + 0.45 \cos 17^\circ)} \;\approx\; \boxed{5.7\,\text{m}}\] | Substituting numbers (\(\sin 17^\circ \approx 0.292\), \(\cos 17^\circ \approx 0.956\)) yields the sliding distance. |
A Major Upgrade To Phy Is Coming Soon — Stay Tuned
We'll help clarify entire units in one hour or less — guaranteed.
A self paced course with videos, problems sets, and everything you need to get a 5. Trusted by over 15k students and over 200 schools.
A \( 0.0350 \) \( \text{kg} \) bullet moving horizontally at \( 425 \) \( \text{m/s} \) embeds itself into an initially stationary \( 0.550 \) \( \text{kg} \) block.
Find the escape speed from a planet of mass \(6.89 \times 10^{25} \, \text{kg}\) and radius \(6.2 \times 10^{6} \, \text{m}\).
An object undergoing simple harmonic motion has a maximum displacement of \(6.2\) \(\text{m}\) at \(t = 0.0\) \(\text{s}\). If the angular frequency of oscillation is \(1.6\) \(\text{rad/s}\), what is the object’s displacement when \(t = 3.5\) \(\text{s}\)?
An average adult elephant \( (5000 \, \text{kg}) \) is strapped to a spring, which is then pulled \( 2 \, \text{meters} \) away from its equilibrium position and released. The elephant starts oscillating back and forth with a period of \( 10 \) seconds.
A theme park ride consists of a large vertical wheel of radius \( R \) that rotates counterclockwise on a horizontal axle through its center. The cars on the wheel move at a constant speed \( v \). Points \( A \) and \( D \) represent the position of a car at the highest and lowest point of the ride, respectively. While passing point \( A \), a student releases a small rock of mass \( m \), which falls to the ground without hitting anything. Which of the following best represents the kinetic energy of the rock when it is at the same height as point \( D \)?
A child pushes horizontally on a box of mass m with constant speed v across a rough horizontal floor. The coefficient of friction between the box and the floor is µ. At what rate does the child do work on the box?
A spring launches a \(4 \, \text{kg}\) block across a frictionless horizontal surface. The block then ascends a \(30^\circ\) incline with a kinetic friction coefficient of \(\mu_k = 0.25\), stopping after \(55 \, \text{m}\) on the incline. If the spring constant is \(800 \, \text{N/m}\), find the initial compression of the spring. Disregard friction while in contact with the spring.
A rocket of mass \( m \) is launched with kinetic energy \( K_0 \), from the surface of the Earth. How much less kinetic energy does the rocket have at an altitude of two Earth radii? Give your answer in terms of the gravitational constant \( G \), the mass of the Earth \( m_E \), the radius of the Earth \( R_E \), and the mass of the rocket?
A \(0.5 \, \text{kg}\) cart, on a frictionless \(2 \, \text{m}\) long table, is being pulled by a \(0.1 \, \text{kg}\) mass connected by a string and hanging over a pulley. The system is released from rest. After the hanging mass falls \(0.5 \, \text{m}\), calculate the speed of the cart on the table. Use ONLY forces and energy.
\(\Delta x \approx 5.69\,\text{m}\)
By continuing you (1) agree to our Terms of Use and Terms of Sale and (2) consent to sharing your IP and browser information used by this site’s security protocols as outlined in our Privacy Policy.
| 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] | |
Nano- | n | [katex]10^{-9}[/katex] | |
Micro- | µ | [katex]10^{-6}[/katex] | |
Milli- | m | [katex]10^{-3}[/katex] | |
Centi- | c | [katex]10^{-2}[/katex] | |
Deci- | d | [katex]10^{-1}[/katex] | |
(Base unit) | – | [katex]10^{0}[/katex] | |
Deca- or Deka- | da | [katex]10^{1}[/katex] | |
Hecto- | h | [katex]10^{2}[/katex] | |
Kilo- | k | [katex]10^{3}[/katex] | |
Mega- | M | [katex]10^{6}[/katex] | |
Giga- | G | [katex]10^{9}[/katex] | |
Tera- | T | [katex]10^{12}[/katex] |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
We crafted THE Ultimate A.P Physics 1 Program so you can learn faster and score higher.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
Understand you mistakes quicker.
Phy automatically provides feedback so you can improve your responses.
10 Free Credits To Get You Started
By continuing you agree to nerd-notes.com Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and our usage of user data.
Feeling uneasy about your next physics test? We'll boost your grade in 3 lessons or less—guaranteed
