What Is the Force on the Wheaties Box from the Cheerios Box?

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In summary, two boxes, a box of cheerios and a box of wheaties, are subjected to a horizontal force F. The frictional force on the cheerios box is 2N, while the frictional force on the wheaties box is 4N. With a magnitude of 12N, the force on the wheaties box from the cheerios box can be determined by applying Newton's 2nd law to both boxes together and then separately."
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suspenc3
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A box of cheerios and a box of wheaties are accelerated by a horizontal force F applied to the cheerios box. The magnitude of the frictional force on the cheerios box is 2N, and the magnitude of the frictional force on the wheaties box is 4N. If the Magnitude of F is 12N, what is the magnitude of the force on the wheaties box from the cheerios box

Im not sure if this is right or if this even has anything to do with the problem:

fk(cheerios) = Mu(k)N
2N = Mu(k)[9.8 x 1]
Mu(k)[cheerios] = 0.204N

...
Mu(k)[wheaties] = 0.136N

What do i do to find the answer?
 
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Anyone ?
 
  • #3
Are the boxes on top of one another? Please draw a diagram and host it on eg. ImageShack.
 
  • #4
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/1299/pic004sg.png
 
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  • #5
Try this:
(1) Apply Newton's 2nd law to both boxes together. Deduce whatever you can.
(2) Using what you learned, now apply Newton's 2nd law to one of the boxes separately.
 

FAQ: What Is the Force on the Wheaties Box from the Cheerios Box?

1. What is friction?

Friction is the force that resists the relative motion or tendency of motion between two surfaces that are in contact with each other.

2. How is friction calculated?

Friction is calculated using the formula F = μN, where F is the force of friction, μ is the coefficient of friction, and N is the normal force between the two surfaces.

3. What factors affect friction?

The factors that affect friction include the nature of the two surfaces in contact, the force pressing the surfaces together, and the roughness of the surfaces.

4. How can friction be reduced?

Friction can be reduced by using lubricants, increasing the surface area of contact, or smoothing out the surfaces.

5. What are some real-life examples of friction?

Some real-life examples of friction include walking on the ground, pushing a heavy object, and rubbing your hands together to create heat.

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