- #1
Vector123
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Homework Statement
A man is standing on a small wedge that is sliding down a frictionless large wedge (base on the ground - horizontal) with angle 60. I don't have a picture so I'll just say that the surface of the smaller wedge is parallel to the ground. It has a weighing machine on it and the problem is to find the weight of the man.
Homework Equations
You could use a non-inertial frame attached to the smaller wedge carrying the weighing machine with inertial force gsin(60) pointing upward along the surface of the wedge and solve the problem easily...the answer is 0.25mg.
The Attempt at a Solution
My question is: The component of gsin(60) along the vertical is gsin(60)cos(30) which is 0.75g. So since the man's resting weight is mg and he is on a platform falling at 0.75g, his weight is 0.25 mg. Now the question is: Can you resolve components twice and add to get back the original vector? Seems to work in every case I tried...sorry if this is a silly question...I'm a just a hobbyist so I thought I would put the question in this section.