Question

Alice is using a rope to pull a wagon. He exerts a force of 2 newtons at an angle of 48° from the floor.

Part A: Suppose the direction of the force changes from a 48° angle with the floor to a 70° angle with the floor. Determine the effect on the horizontal and vertical components of the force. Give forces to the nearest hundredth of a unit.


Part B: What implications does this have for pulling the wagon? Explain.

Answer 1

Part A - i. 0.68 N ii. 1.88 N

Part B - The wagon will move slowly while being raised up off the ground.

Explanation:

Part A: Suppose the direction of the force changes from a 48° angle with the floor to a 70° angle with the floor. Determine the effect on the horizontal and vertical components of the force. Give forces to the nearest hundredth of a unit.

Since the force of 2 N is exerted at this new angle of 70°,

i. the horizontal component u = 2cos70° = 0.684 N ≅ 0.68 N and its

ii. vertical component, v = 2sin70° = 1.879 N ≅ 1.88 N

Part B: What implications does this have for pulling the wagon? Explain.

Since we have a horizontal component of 0.68 N and a vertical component of 1.88 N, most of the force is used in raising the wagon off of the ground with less of it moving it forward. So, the wagon will move slowly while being raised up off the ground.