Calculating Force Exerted by Man on 380kg Piano Down an Incline

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In summary, the man is able to keep the piano from accelerating down the slope by pushing against it parallel to the incline. The effective coefficient of friction is 0.40, meaning that the man is exerting a force of 40 Newtons against the piano.
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inflames829
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Homework Statement


A 380kg piano slides 3.5m down at 27 degree incline and is kept from accelerating by a man who is pushing back on it parallel to the incline. The effective coefficient of friction is 0.40. Calculate the force exerted by the man


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The Attempt at a Solution


Im confused with this because i think i have to use F =ma but I am not sure because i don't know if i have to use the angle of incline as well to work out the force. Can someone please give me some hints or help
 
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  • #2
A good place to start is resolving the forcing acting into their components that are parallel and normal to the incline. A free body diagram always helps.
 
  • #3
what do you mean by resolving the forces acting into their components that are parallel and normal to the incline
 
  • #5
resolving the force means making all the components of various forces on that object..since there's no acc u can take the force to b zero and thus equate the forces in opp direction..gud luck!
 
  • #6
If the man was not pushing against the piano, it would accelerate down the slope. The direction of this acceleration (down the slope) is usually the best choice to choose your coordinate system.

In this question, the coordinate system is therefore slightly skewed in relation to the 'ground'.

The gravitational force acting on the piano however is directed straight 'into the ground' and is therefore not aligned with the coordinate system.
Whenever you see this, you can 'split' the force into two components, one along the y-axis and one along the x-axis.
The component of the gravitational force that acts along the line of the slope will be the force that actually makes the piano move.

You can find the size of this force by using some trigonometry (you know the angle of the slope).

Finally, don't forget that there is also friction and the force of the man pushing back that is stopping the piano.
 

FAQ: Calculating Force Exerted by Man on 380kg Piano Down an Incline

What is force and how is it measured?

Force is a physical quantity that is defined as the push or pull on an object. It is measured in units of newtons (N) using a device called a force meter or dynamometer.

What are the different types of forces?

There are four main types of forces: gravitational, electromagnetic, strong nuclear, and weak nuclear. Gravitational force is the attraction between two masses, electromagnetic force is the interaction between charged particles, strong nuclear force holds the nucleus of an atom together, and weak nuclear force is responsible for radioactive decay.

How does force affect motion?

According to Newton's first law of motion, an object at rest will remain at rest and an object in motion will remain in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. In other words, forces can cause an object to start moving, stop moving, or change its direction or speed.

How is force related to acceleration?

According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. In other words, the greater the force applied to an object, the greater its acceleration will be. Similarly, the more mass an object has, the less it will accelerate under the same force.

How do forces interact with each other?

Forces can interact with each other in three ways: they can cancel each other out, they can add together, or they can act at an angle to each other. When forces cancel each other out, they are said to be balanced and there is no change in motion. When forces add together, they are said to be unbalanced and there will be a change in motion. When forces act at an angle to each other, they can cause an object to move in a curved path.

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