97.5k views
2 votes
Mountain goats can easily scale slopes angled at 60 degrees from horizontal. What are the normal force and the static friction force on a mountain goat that weighs 900N?

A) Normal Force = 450 N, Static Friction Force = 0 N
B) Normal Force = 450 N, Static Friction Force = 450 N
C) Normal Force = 450 N, Static Friction Force = Maximum
D) Normal Force = 0 N, Static Friction Force = 450 N

1 Answer

1 vote

Final answer:

The normal force on the mountain goat is 450N and the static friction force is also 450N. The correct answer is B) Normal Force = 450 N, Static Friction Force = 450 N

Step-by-step explanation:

The normal force is the force exerted perpendicular to a surface.

When an object is on a slope, the normal force is equal to the component of the object's weight that is perpendicular to the slope.

In this case, the weight of the mountain goat is 900N.

Since the slope is angled at 60 degrees from horizontal, the normal force can be calculated as:

Normal force = weight * cos(angle of slope)

Normal force = 900N * cos(60 degrees)

Normal force = 900N * 0.5

Normal force = 450N

The static friction force is the force that opposes the motion of an object at rest, it acts parallel to the surface and prevents the object from sliding down the slope.

The maximum static friction force can be calculated as:

Max Static friction force = coefficient of static friction * normal force

Since the goat is stationary on the slope, the static friction force must be equal to the maximum static friction force. Therefore, the static friction force is also 450N.

The correct answer is B) Normal Force = 450 N, Static Friction Force = 450 N

User H Krishnan
by
7.7k points