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Ch 05: Applying Newton's Laws
Chapter 5, Problem 5

A 45.0-kg crate of tools rests on a horizontal floor. You exert a gradually increasing horizontal push on it, and the crate just begins to move when your force exceeds 313 N. Then you must reduce your push to 208 N to keep it moving at a steady 25.0 cm/s. (c) Suppose you were performing the same experiment on the moon, where the acceleration due to gravity is 1.62 m/s2. (i) What magnitude push would cause it to move? (ii) What would its acceleration be if you maintained the push in part (b)?

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Calculate the normal force acting on the crate on the moon. Use the formula: Normal force (N) = mass (m) imes acceleration due to gravity on the moon (g_moon).
Determine the coefficient of static friction (\mu_s) using the force required to start moving the crate on Earth. Use the formula: \\(\mu_s = \frac{F_{static}}{N_{earth}}\\), where \\(F_{static}\\) is the force exerted to overcome static friction on Earth and \\(N_{earth}\\) is the normal force on Earth.
Calculate the force required to start moving the crate on the moon using the coefficient of static friction obtained in the previous step. Use the formula: \\(F_{moon} = \mu_s imes N_{moon}\\).
Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction (\\(\mu_k\\)) using the force required to keep the crate moving at a steady speed on Earth. Use the formula: \\(\mu_k = \frac{F_{kinetic}}{N_{earth}}\\), where \\(F_{kinetic}\\) is the force exerted to overcome kinetic friction on Earth.
Calculate the acceleration of the crate on the moon when the force from part (b) is applied. Use the formula: \\(a = \frac{F - \mu_k imes N_{moon}}{m}\\), where \\(F\\) is the force applied (same as the kinetic force on Earth) and \\(m\\) is the mass of the crate.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Friction

Friction is the force that opposes the relative motion of two surfaces in contact. It is dependent on the nature of the surfaces and the normal force acting between them. The static friction force must be overcome to initiate motion, while kinetic friction acts on moving objects. The coefficients of static and kinetic friction are crucial for calculating the forces required to move an object.
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Newton's Second Law of Motion

Newton's Second Law states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This relationship is expressed by the equation F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration. Understanding this law is essential for analyzing how forces affect the motion of objects, especially in different gravitational environments.
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Weight and Normal Force

Weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, calculated as the product of its mass and the acceleration due to gravity (W = mg). The normal force is the support force exerted by a surface perpendicular to the object resting on it. On the Moon, where gravity is weaker, the weight of the crate is less, affecting the normal force and consequently the frictional forces that must be overcome to initiate and maintain motion.
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Related Practice
Textbook Question

In another version of the 'Giant Swing' (see Exercise 5.50), the seat is connected to two cables, one of which is horizontal (Fig. E5.51). The seat swings in a horizontal circle at a rate of 28.0 rpm (rev/min). If the seat weighs 255 N and an 825-N person is sitting in it, find the tension in each cable.

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Textbook Question
A picture frame hung against a wall is suspended by two wires attached to its upper corners. If the two wires make the same angle with the vertical, what must this angle be if the tension in each wire is equal to 0.75 of the weight of the frame? (Ignore any friction between the wall and the picture frame.)
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Textbook Question
When jumping straight up from a crouched position, an average person can reach a maximum height of about 60 cm. During the jump, the person's body from the knees up typically rises a distance of around 50 cm. To keep the calculations simple and yet get a reasonable result, assume that the entire body rises this much during the jump. (c) In terms of this jumper's weight w, what force does the ground exert on him or her during the jump?
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Textbook Question
An 8.00-kg block of ice, released from rest at the top of a 1.50-m-long frictionless ramp, slides downhill, reaching a speed of 2.50 m/s at the bottom. (b) What would be the speed of the ice at the bottom if the motion were opposed by a constant friction force of 10.0 N parallel to the surface of the ramp?
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Textbook Question

A 1130-kg car is held in place by a light cable on a very smooth (frictionless) ramp (Fig. E5.8). The cable makes an angle of 31.0° above the surface of the ramp, and the ramp itself rises at 25.0° above the horizontal. (c) How hard does the surface of the ramp push on the car? <IMAGE>

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