Final answer:
The question is about calculating the distance a steel block slides down an inclined wooden ramp in a given time, incorporating principles of static and kinetic friction in Physics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns the Physics concept of static and kinetic friction, specifically applied to a block sliding down an inclined plane. Since the coefficients of friction and the angle of the ramp are given, alongside the mass of the block and the time elapsed, the student's task is to calculate the distance the block travels in the specified time frame, provided that it remains on the ramp.
To solve this, one must find the net force on the block by considering both the gravitational force component pulling it down the ramp and the opposing force of kinetic friction. Then, using Newton's second law, calculate the block's acceleration and finally use kinematic equations to determine the distance it travels in 0.78 seconds.
Using the formula for the component of gravitational force along the ramp (mg sin θ), where 'm' is the mass, 'g' the acceleration due to gravity, and 'θ' the angle of the ramp, and the expression for frictional force (μk N), where 'μk' is the coefficient of kinetic friction and 'N' the normal force, one can find the net force and thus the acceleration. The distance can be found using the kinematic equation s = ut + (1/2)at2, with 'u' being the initial velocity (zero), 'a' the acceleration, 't' the time, and 's' the distance.