Forces

C Team Problem Set Solutions

Physics Team

Answer to Question 1: From F = ma we have that:

[F] = [m][a]

We have used the brackets to denote ”the units of”.

Of course F is in Newtons, and acceleration is in length per unit time squared
ms−2 , so we have that:

kg m
N=
s2

Answer to Question 2: We tilt our axes to be parallel and perpendicular to the

inclined plane. The only forces acting on the block are gravity, the normal force,
and friction. In Figure 1, you can see how to break up the force of gravity into
components parallel and perpendicular to the incline.
From force balance along our tilted axes we get the following equations:

N − mg cos θ = 0
mg sin θ − f = 0
f ≤ µs N

Where the last equation comes from the definition of static friction. Solving, we

1
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find that

µs ≥ tan θ

Due to the inequality in the definition of static friction, if µs > tan θ the block will
remain in equilibrium, as static friction only exerts the minimal force to keep the
object in equilibrium.

N f

m
θ mg cos θ
mg
θ mg sin θ

Figure 1: Inclined Plane FBD

Answer to Question 3:

∑ F = ma
Or

∑F
a=
m

9N
So for part (a) we have a = = 3ms−2 .
3kg
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In part b,

∑ F = Fpush − µN
= Fpush − µmg

So from F = ma:

Fpush − µmg = ma
Fpush − ma
µ=
mg
µk ≈ 0.3

Note that it is kinetic friction because the object is slipping.

Answer to Question 4: If we split the tension into components parallel and per-
pendicular to the ground and then apply F = ma in the y direction we get:

T sin θ + N − mg = may

If the net vertical acceleration is positive, after a brief moment it will stop touching
the floor at which point N = 0. So then, in order for ay > 0, T sin θ − mg has to be
greater than 0. Plugging in numbers, we see that this is not true, hence there is no
vertical acceleration.
For part b, since there is no vertical acceleration or vertical component of
velocity, we only need to worry about the x value of the block. From the horizontal
equation of F = ma we get:

T cos θ = max
T cos θ
=⇒ ax =
m
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at 2
Using the kinematic equation ∆x = v0t + , we obtain:
2

T cos θ 2
x(t) = t
√2m
5 2 2
= t
4

For part c, we look again at the F = ma equations in the y direction.

T sin θ + N − mg = 0
=⇒ N = mg − T sin θ
≈ 63N

We see this is in fact less than it would be without the string, and the reason behind
this is that the normal force exerts a force equal to the weight pressing down on it
(Newtons 3rd Law). The tension basically ”takes away” some weight by helping
the normal force, so less force is exerted on the ground.

Answer to Question 5: The force that causes the top block to move is friction.
The only other force between the blocks is the normal force, which is purely
vertical, and hence cannot cause a horizontal acceleration.
We can find the maximum value of F by taking the coefficient of kinetic fric-
tion to be µ. Then, we draw a free body diagram for both masses (Figure 2).
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Figure 2: Stacked Blocks

Therefore, we have the following F = ma equations:

f = mam
F − f = MaM
f = µmg

Since we want them to move together:

am = aM

Solving for F gives:

F = µg(M + m)

Answer to Question 6: Once again we rotate our coordinate system to be parallel

and perpendicular to the plane. Since there is no friction, the acceleration along
the plane is a∥ = g sin θ . We are also given the distance ∆x, the initial velocity
v0 = 0, and the final velocity v. Then we can simply use our kinematic equations.
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The time taken to gain a velocity v is:

v = v0 + at
v
t=
g sin θ

Then we have:

1
∆x = v0t + at 2
2
v2
=
2g sin θ
v2
sin θ =
2g∆x

Or

v2
 
θ = arcsin
2g∆x

Answer to Question 7: After some time, the block will reach a state of equilib-
rium where it is not accelerating. At this point, the net force is zero. The only two
contributions to the net force are the force of the spring upwards, and the force of
gravity downwards. Hence we have:

kx − mg = 0
mg
x=
k

Note that Fspring > 0 because it points upwards, which we defined to be positive
in this case.
As k → ∞, the distance stretched goes to zero. This represents another way to
think of the spring constant as the resistance to displacement.
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Answer to Question 8: Imagine we are pushing a block that is at rest on a surface

with µk > µs . If the force F we exert is less then or equal to µs N, the block just
sits there doing it’s own thing. Likewise, if F > µk N the block will accelerate
according to the usual F = ma equations.
However, if µs N < F < µk N, then we have a problem. The force exceeds
the maximum static friction, so the block should move and kinetic friction should
become the relevant force. However, the force is less then the force of kinetic
friction so the block shouldn’t move.
The above contradiction will always arise while µs < µk , so we conclude that
µs ≥ µk

Answer to Question 9: We can split up the normal force into components parallel
and perpendicular to the ground (Figure 3).

y
x
N

m
90 − θ

Figure 3: Normal Force Geometry

Both the inclined plane and m are moving at the same acceleration a. Since
there are no other horizontal forces, we have:

N cos(90 − θ ) = N sin θ = ma
ma
N=
sin θ
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Answer to Question 10: We begin by assuming mg sin θ > µs N, so that we don’t

have to worry about static friction and inequalities. Now again take a look at
Figure 1. Writing the F = ma equations, we get:

mg sin θ − f = ma
N − mg cos θ = 0

We also have from the definition of kinetic friction:

f = µk N

Solving for a gives:

a = g sin θ − µk g cos θ

If θ → 90◦ , a → g which makes sense: the normal force is basically disappearing

and since f ∝ N, there is no friction to slow the block down. If µk → 0, we get the
familiar value of g sin θ .
Our answer does not make sense as θ → 0: our answer goes to −µg when it
should go to 0. This is because it violates our first assumption of mg sin θ > µs N.

Answer to Question 11: We have the acceleration of the masses to be

F = (M + m)a
F
a=
M+m

Now if we draw the free body diagram for the mass M, we see the only horizontal
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force acting on it is the normal force. Therefore, we have that

N = Ma
M
= F
M+m

As an exercise, you can verify that the forces on mass m also add up to give the
correct acceleration (don’t forget about Newtons Third Law).

Answer to Question 12: For the block M, we rotate our coordinate system to be
parallel and perpendicular to the plane. We then define rightward to be positive.
We then have that:

T − Mg sin θ = MaM

Meanwhile, for the other block, we use our normal coordinate system except we
define down to be positive. Then we have:

mg − T = mam

All we need is a final equation relating am and aM , which is provided by the fact
that the length of the string does not change. If mass M goes up a distance xM ,
then mass m goes down a distance xm = xM thanks to our choice of down being
positive. Therefore,

am = aM

For convenience, we drop the subscript.

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Then we simply have the following system of equations:

T − Mg sin θ = Ma
mg − T = ma

Which has the solution

m − M sin θ
a= g
m+M

Answer to Question 13: If m is stationary, we have that T = mg. For the mass
M, we have

T − µN = 0
N = Mg

Solving for µ gives:

m
µ=
M

Answer to Question 14: We can solve this by looking at what happens some
time after the system has been released. After some time ∆t, the block has moved
horizontally a distance ∆x and vertically a distance ∆y. Since the block stayed on
the inclined plane the whole time, we have that:

∆y
tan θ =
∆x

It follows that

ay
tan θ =
ax
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which is the relationship we were looking for.

Answer to Question 15: Hopefully Figure 4 helps you visualize the free body
diagram of the blocks. For ease of calculation, let us define downwards to be
positive for m1 , and upwards to be positive for m2 . We then have the following
F = ma equations:

m1 g − T = m1 a1
T − m2 g = m2 a2

Figure 4: Free Body Diagram of the Pulley

Using the method of problem 14, we find that

∆y1 = ∆y2
=⇒ a1 = a2

Again, we drop the subscripts for convenience.

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Solving for a gives:

m1 − m2
a= g
m1 + m2

Solving part b requires us to do a force balance on the pulley. As you can see
from Figure 5, the only forces acting on the pulley are the force F upwards and
two tension forces from the strings on both sides of the pulley.

T T

Figure 5: Free Body Diagram of the Pulley

In the problem we were given that mpulley = 0, so when we write our F = ma

equations we get:

F − 2T = mpulley a
= (0)a
=0
=⇒ F = 2T

Solving the system of equations in part (a) for T gives

2m1 m2
T= g
m1 + m2
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So

4m1 m2
F= g
m1 + m2