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A sled slides along a horizontal surface on which the coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.25. Its velocity at point A is 8.0 m/sand at point B is 5.0 m/s. Use the momentum principle to find howlong the sled takes to travel from A to B

User Slaesh
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1 Answer

18 votes
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Momentum principle:

Ft = mΔv

F: net force acting on the sled

t: time it takes from point A to point B (we're solving for this)

m: mass (this should cancel out after a few calculations, I'll show you how)

Δv: change in velocity from a to b

Δv = 5.0 - 8.0 = -3 m/s

Net force, F, can be broken down into two components: the component tangent (parallel) to the slope, and the friction force, which is normal (perpendicular) to the slope.

You can simply write F as μ*m*g when angle isn't given, the following two paragraphs are just a long explanation as to why that's the case.

F can be broken down into F-tangent, F-friction

F-tangent = m*g*sinθ (mass of sled times gravity to represent gravitational force, then sinθ to find the tangential component

F-friction = μ*F-normal (μ: coefficient of friction; μ = 0.25)

F-normal = m*g*cosθ (gravitational force, then cosθ to find the normal component)

F-friction = μ*m*g*cosθ; F-tangent = m*g*sinθ

Now, since both F-friction and F-tangent are acting on the sled, the effects of sinθ and cosθ cancel each other out.

F = μ*m*g

Substituting μ*m*g for F into the equation Ft = mΔv,

μ*m*g*t = m*Δv

Mass cancels out (when mass isn't given, it usually cancels out in equations)

μ*g*t = Δv

Variables we know: μ = 0.25; g = 9.81 m/s^2, Δv = -3 m/s

Now we can solve for t

0.25*9.81*t = -3

t = -3/(0.25*9.81)

t = -1.223 s

Since time can't be negative, the negative sign is meaningless here.

It takes roughly 1.223 seconds from A to B

User Dirk Scholten
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