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 cart with a mass of \( 20 \) \( \text{kg} \) is pressed against a wall by a horizontal spring with spring constant \( k = 244 \) \( \text{N/m} \) placed between the cart and the wall. The spring is compressed by \( 0.1 \) \( \text{m} \). While the spring is compressed, an additional constant horizontal force of \( 20 \) \( \text{N} \) continues to push the cart toward the wall. What is the resulting acceleration of the cart?
Why do you need to “pump” your legs when you begin swinging on a park swing?
A \( 25.0 \) \( \text{kg} \) block is placed at the top of an inclined plane set at an angle of \( 35 \) degrees to the horizontal. The block slides down the \( 1.5 \) \( \text{m} \) slope at a constant rate. How much work did friction do on the block?
A ski lift carries skiers along a \(695 \, \text{m}\) slope inclined at \(34^\circ\). To lift a single rider, it is necessary to move \(72 \, \text{kg}\) of mass to the top of the lift. Under maximum load conditions, five riders per minute arrive at the top. If \(65\%\) of the energy supplied by the motor goes to overcoming friction, what average power must the motor supply?
A spring is connected to a wall and a horizontal force of \( 80.0 \) \( \text{N} \) is applied. It stretches \( 25 \) \( \text{cm} \); what is its spring constant?
A simple pendulum consists of a sphere tied to the end of a string of negligible mass. The sphere is pulled back until the string is horizontal and then released from rest. Assume the gravitational potential energy is zero when the sphere is at its lowest point.
What angle will the string make with the horizontal when the kinetic energy and the potential energy of the sphere-Earth system are equal?

A small block of mass \( M \) is released from rest at the top of the curved frictionless ramp shown above. The block slides down the ramp and is moving with a speed \( 3.5v_0 \) when it collides with a larger block of mass \( 1.5M \) at rest at the bottom of the incline. The larger block moves to the right at a speed \( 2v_0 \) immediately after the collision.
Express your answers to the following questions in terms of the given quantities and fundamental constants.
A \( 0.30 \text{-kg} \) mass is suspended on a spring. In equilibrium the mass stretches the spring \( 2.0 \) \( \text{cm} \) downward. The mass is then pulled an additional distance of \( 1.0 \) \( \text{cm} \) down and released from rest. Write down its equation of motion.

A roller coaster ride at an amusement park lifts a car of mass \( 700 \, \text{kg} \) to point \( A \) at a height of \( 90 \, \text{m} \) above the lowest point on the track, as shown above. The car starts from rest at \( A \), rolls with negligible friction down the incline and follows the track around a loop of radius \( 20 \, \text{m} \). Point \( B \), the highest point on the loop, is at a height of \( 50 \, \text{m} \) above the lowest point on the track.
The escape speed of an object of mass \( m \) from a planet of mass \( M \) and radius \( r \) depends on the gravitational constant and
\(\Delta x \approx 5.69\,\text{m}\)
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] | 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 |
One price to unlock most advanced version of Phy across all our tools.
per month
Billed Monthly. Cancel Anytime.
Try our free calculator to see what you need to get a 5 on the 2026 AP Physics 1 exam.
A quick explanation
Credits are used to grade your FRQs and GQs. Pro users get unlimited credits.
Submitting counts as 1 attempt.
Viewing answers or explanations count as a failed attempts.
Phy gives partial credit if needed
MCQs and GQs are are 1 point each. FRQs will state points for each part.
Phy customizes problem explanations based on what you struggle with. Just hit the explanation button to see.
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
NEW! PHY AI accurately solves all questions
🔥 Get up to 30% off Elite Physics Tutoring
🧠 NEW! Learn Physics From Scratch Self Paced Course
🎯 Need exam style practice questions?