Question

A window washer is being lifted all the way up to the top of the John Hancock tower in Boston. The lifting system on his aerial work platform is accelerating him upward with a magnitude of acceleration a = 1.20 m/s². As the platform accelerates upward, he pushes horizontally on his bucket (mass 4.20 kg) to slide it at constant speed along the platform floor (see Figure). What force magnitude must he apply? The coefficient of friction between bucket and platform floor is 4 = 0.72. FE a = 1.20 m/s² dres

Answer 1

To determine the force magnitude the window washer must apply to slide the bucket along the platform floor at a constant speed, we need to consider the forces acting on the bucket.

1. Gravitational Force (Weight):

The weight of the bucket is given by the equation: weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity. Since the mass of the bucket is 4.20 kg, and the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s², we can calculate the weight of the bucket.

2. Normal Force:

The normal force is the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it. In this case, the normal force is equal to the weight of the bucket since it is not sinking into the platform floor.

3. Frictional Force:

The frictional force is the force that opposes the motion of an object when it is in contact with a surface. It is given by the equation: frictional force = coefficient of friction × normal force. In this case, the coefficient of friction is 0.72.

Since the bucket is sliding along the platform floor at a constant speed, the force applied by the window washer must balance the frictional force.

To determine the force magnitude the window washer must apply, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Calculate the weight of the bucket:

weight = mass × acceleration due to gravity

Step 2: Calculate the normal force:

normal force = weight of the bucket

Step 3: Calculate the frictional force:

frictional force = coefficient of friction × normal force

Step 4: Determine the force magnitude the window washer must apply:

The force magnitude the window washer must apply is equal to the frictional force calculated in Step 3.

By following these steps, you can determine the force magnitude the window washer must apply to slide the bucket along the platform floor at a constant speed.