| Step | Derivation/Formula | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | \[\text{Coordinate System: } +x \text{ (East), } +y \text{ (North)}\] | Define the coordinate system with East as the positive \(x\) direction and North as the positive \(y\) direction. |
| 2 | \[F_{1x} = 170 \;\text{N}, \quad F_{1y} = 0 \;\text{N}\] | Student 1 pulls Eastward with \(170\,\text{N}\); hence, all force is in the \(x\) direction. |
| 3 | \[F_{2x} = 0 \;\text{N}, \quad F_{2y} = -100 \;\text{N}\] | Student 2 pulls Southward with \(100\,\text{N}\); therefore, the \(y\) component is negative. |
| 4 | \[F_{3x} = -200\sin(20^\circ), \quad F_{3y} = 200\cos(20^\circ)\] | Student 3 pulls with \(200\,\text{N}\) at \(20^\circ\) west of north. The \(y\) component is \(200\cos(20^\circ)\) (northward) and the \(x\) component is \(-200\sin(20^\circ)\) (westward). |
| 5 | \[F_{\text{net},x} = 170 – 200\sin(20^\circ)\] | Sum the \(x\) components: Student 1 contributes \(170\,\text{N}\) east, and Student 3 contributes \(-200\sin(20^\circ)\,\text{N}\) (west). |
| 6 | \[F_{\text{net},y} = -100 + 200\cos(20^\circ)\] | Sum the \(y\) components: Student 2 gives \(-100\,\text{N}\) (south) and Student 3 gives \(200\cos(20^\circ)\,\text{N}\) (north). |
| 7 | \(200\sin(20^\circ) \approx 68.4 \;\text{N}, \quad 200\cos(20^\circ) \approx 187.9 \;\text{N}\) | Calculate the approximate numerical values of the components for Student 3. |
| 8 | \[F_{\text{net},x} \approx 170 – 68.4 = 101.6 \;\text{N}\] | Compute the net \(x\) component using the approximated value. |
| 9 | \[F_{\text{net},y} \approx -100 + 187.9 = 87.9 \;\text{N}\] | Compute the net \(y\) component using the approximated value. |
| 10 | \[F_{\text{net}} = \sqrt{(101.6)^2 + (87.9)^2} \approx 134.4 \;\text{N}\] | Find the magnitude of the net force using the Pythagorean theorem. |
| 11 | \[\theta = \tan^{-1}\left(\frac{87.9}{101.6}\right) \approx 40.9^\circ\]\] | Determine the direction of the net force measured as the angle north of east. |
| 12 | \[\boxed{134.4 \;\text{N},\; 40.9^\circ \; \text{north of east}}\] | State the final net force magnitude and its direction. |
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A force \(F\) is used to hold a block of mass \(m\) on an incline as shown in the diagram above. The plane makes an angle of \(\theta\) with the horizontal and \(F\) is perpendicular to the plane. The coefficient of friction between the plane and the block is \(\mu\). What is the minimum force \(F\) necessary to keep the block at rest?
Two students push a \(1750\, \mathrm{kg}\) car with a force of \(758\, \mathrm{N}\) along a perfectly level road at a constant velocity of \(4.00\, \mathrm{m/s}\). Find the force of friction.
An object is moving to the west at a constant speed. Three forces are exerted on the object. One force is \( 10 \) \( \text{N} \) directed due north, and another is \( 10 \) \( \text{N} \) directed due west. What is the magnitude and direction of the third force if the object is to continue moving to the west at a constant speed?
A box rests on the (frictionless) bed of a truck. The truck driver starts the truck and accelerates forward. The box immediately starts to slide toward the rear of the truck bed.
A woman stands on a bathroom scale in a motionless elevator. When the elevator begins to move, the scale briefly reads only \( 0.75 \) of her regular weight. Calculate the acceleration of the elevator, and find the direction of acceleration.
A vehicle is moving at a speed of 12.3 m/s on a decline when the brakes of all four wheels are fully applied, causing them to lock. The slope of the decline forms an angle of 18.0 degrees with the horizontal plane. Given that the coefficient of kinetic friction between the tires and the road surface is 0.650.

Two wires are tied to the \(500 \, \text{g}\) sphere as shown above. The sphere revolves in a horizontal circle at a constant speed of \(7.2 \, \text{m/s}\). What is the tension in the upper wire? What is the tension in the lower wire?
A mass moving with a constant speed \( u \) encounters a rough surface and comes to a stop. The mass takes a time \( t \) to stop after encountering the rough surface. The coefficient of dynamic friction between the rough surface and the mass is \( 0.40 \). Which of the following expressions gives the initial speed \( u \)?
A block sliding down an frictionless inclined plane is experiencing both gravitational and normal forces; which force’s magnitude changes when the angle of the incline is increased?

Two wires support an unknown mass as shown in the diagram. The tension in the left wire is measured to be \( 17.5 \) \( \text{N} \) and the tension in the right wire is \( 30.3 \) \( \text{N} \). The left wire makes an angle of \( 30^{\circ} \) with the horizontal, and the right wire makes an angle of \( 60^{\circ} \) with the horizontal. What is the mass of the object?
\(\boxed{134.4\,\text{N}\text{ at }40.9^\circ\text{ north of east}}\)
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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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