50.5k views
4 votes
A 10kg crate is placed on a horizontal conveyor belt. The materials are such that μs = 0.5 and μk = 0.3.

Draw a free-body diagram showing all the forces on the crate if the conveyer belt runs at constant speed.

User Bdelmas
by
7.2k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

A free-body diagram for a 10kg crate on a conveyor belt running at constant speed would show the weight of the crate (W = mg) acting downwards, the normal force (N) upwards, and the kinetic frictional force (Ff = μkN) opposite to the direction of conveyor belt's motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

To draw a free-body diagram of a 10kg crate placed on a horizontal conveyor belt that runs at constant speed when the coefficients of static and kinetic friction are given as μs = 0.5 and μk = 0.3, we need to consider all the forces acting on the crate. These forces include:

  • The force of gravity acting downwards, which is the weight of the crate (W = mg, where m is the mass and g is the acceleration due to gravity).
  • The normal force (N) exerted by the conveyor belt, which acts vertically upwards and is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction to the weight of the crate when there's no vertical movement.
  • The frictional force (Ff), which, in the case of constant speed, is the kinetic frictional force acting opposite to the motion and is calculated as Ff = μkN.

Since the conveyor belt runs at constant speed, the frictional force is balanced by the conveyor's motion, indicating no net horizontal force. So the free-body diagram would include the weight of the crate acting downwards, the normal force acting upwards, and the frictional force acting in the direction opposite to the conveyor belt's motion.

User Minju
by
9.1k points