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Sally, who works at Little Caesars, slides a 0.55 kg glass of soda from one end of the counter down to a thirsty customer.

a) What is the coefficient of sliding friction between the glass and the counter?
b) If the glass encounters a sticky patch on the counter, will this spot have a higher coefficient of friction?

User Paul Sabou
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

We cannot calculate the coefficient of sliding friction without the force of friction or the applied force. A sticky patch on the counter would result in a higher coefficient of friction.

Step-by-step explanation:

To answer Sally's question about the coefficient of sliding friction, we first need to know either the force of friction acting on the soda glass or the force applied that keeps it moving at a constant velocity. Without that information, we cannot calculate the coefficient of friction directly. However, if we had the applied force and knew it was moving at constant speed, we could use the formula μ = f / (mg), where μ is the coefficient of friction, f is the force of friction, m is the mass of the soda glass, and g is the acceleration due to gravity.

To answer part b of the question, yes, the sticky patch on the counter will have a higher coefficient of friction because the stickiness increases the force of friction between the glass and the counter.

User Furious Duck
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