Question

A museum curator pulls a 1470 N sculpture across the museum floor, with an acceleration of 0.5m/s 2.

If the coefficient of sliding friction between the floor and the sculpture is 0.57, calculate the mass,
normal force, force of friction, and the force with which the curator pushes the sculpture.

Answer 1

• mass: 150 kg
• normal force: 1470 N
• friction force: 837.9 N
• pushing force: 912.9 N

Step-by-step explanation:

Normal Force

We assume the curator is pushing parallel to the floor, so there is no vertical component to the applied force. The normal force at the floor will be the weight of the object: 1470 N

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Mass

The weight of the object is due to the acceleration of gravity being applied to the mass of the sculpture. The mass can be found from ...

F = ma

m = F/a = (1470 N)/(9.8 m/s^2) = 150 kg

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Friction Force

The friction force is the product of the normal force and the coefficient of sliding friction:

friction force = (1470 N)(0.57) = 837.9 N

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Applied Force (pushing)

We can find the excess of the applied force over the friction force by using the relation to acceleration.

F = ma

F = (150 kg)(0.5 m/s^2) = 75 N

Then the applied force with which the sculpture is being pushed is ...

75 N +837.9 N = 912.9 N