Final answer:
The maximum force of static friction on a 5 kg bucket with a coefficient of static friction of 0.35 is 17.15 N, so the closest answer is 17 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the maximum force of static friction that can be exerted on a bucket of water with a mass of 5 kg and a coefficient of static friction of 0.35, we must calculate the normal force ('N') and then apply the formula for static friction, which is fs = μ * N, where μ is the coefficient of static friction and 'N' is the normal force.
In this case, the normal force equals the force due to gravity on the object (the weight of the object), which is given by N = mass * g, where 'g' is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s² on Earth). For a 5 kg bucket, 'N' would be (5 kg) * (9.8 m/s²) = 49 N.
Now, using the formula for static friction: fs = μ * N = 0.35 * 49 N = 17.15 N. Therefore, the maximum force of static friction is 17.15 N, and the closest answer choice to this value is (a) 17 N.