Problem Set 2 Answer Key

Particle Equilibrium, Physics 21

1. Use the method of rectangular resolution to find the resultant of the following set of forces
and the angle it makes with the positive x-axis: 200 N, along the x-axis toward the right;
300 N, 60◦ above the x-axis to the right; 100 N, 45◦ above the x-axis to the left; 200 N, along
the negative y-axis.
y
300 N

100 N
60◦
45◦ 200 N
x
O

200 N
Solution:
The x- and y-components of the resultant R are computed thus:

Rx = (200 N) cos 0◦ + (300 N) cos 60◦ + (100 N) cos 135◦ + (200 N) cos 270◦
= +279.289 N
Ry = (200 N) sin 0◦ + (300 N) sin 60◦ + (100 N) sin 135◦ + (200 N) sin 270◦
= +130.518 N

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 Hence, the resultant magnitude R and direction θR can be computed:
√ √
R = Rx + Ry = (279.289 N)2 + (130.518 N)2
2 2

= 308.281 N
( ) ( )
−1 Ry −1 130.518
θR = tan = tan
Rx 279.289
◦
= 25.048

Thus the resultant of the four forces has magnitude 308.281 N in the direction 25.048◦ coun-
terclockwise from the +x-axis.

2. Two men and a boy want to push a crate in the direction marked x in the figure below. The
two men push with forces F1 and F2 , whose magnitudes and directions are indicated in the
figure. Find the magnitude and direction of the smallest force that the boy should exert.
F1 (100 N)

60◦
x
30◦

F2 (80 N)
Solution:
If the box were to move only in the +x direction, then the y-components of all the forces
exerted on the box (including that of the boy) should cancel out to zero. If F3 is the force
exerted by the boy, then
F1y + F2y + F3y = 0
Solving for F3y ,
F3y = −F1y − F2y = −F1 sin 60◦ − F2 sin(−30◦ )
= −(100 N) sin 60◦ − (80 N) sin(−30◦ )
= −46.602 N
For the boy to exert a minimum force F3 , the x-component of his force should be zero, that is
F3x = 0. Thus, for the box to move in the +x direction, the boy need only exert a minimum
downward force of 46.602 N.

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3. Block A in the figure below weighs 100 N. The coefficient of static friction between the
block and the surface on which it rests is 0.30. The weight w is 20 N and the system is in
equilibrium.
a. Find the friction force exerted on block A.
b. Find the maximum weight w for which the system will remain in equilibrium.

A
B 45◦

Solution:
The figure below is the free-body diagram of knot B.
T2y T2

T1 B 45◦
T2x

w = 20 N
Summing forces along the y-direction gives T2y = w = 20 N. But T2 sin 45◦ = T2y = 20 N
so that T2 = T2y / sin 45◦ . However, T2x = T2 cos 45◦ = T2y cos 45◦ / sin 45◦ = T2y = 20 N.
Summing forces along the x-direction gives us T1 = T2x = 20 N. Thus the free-body diagram
of knot B and the equations of equilibrium gives us:

T1 = w

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 The next figure below is the free-body diagram of block A.
A
T1 = 20 N

wA

It is clear from the free-body diagram of A above that summing forces along x yields

f = T1 = 20 N

Summing forces along the y yields the relation

wA = N = 100 N

For impending motion to occur, f = fmax = µs N = 0.3(100 N) = 30 N. But from earlier

findings,
f = T1 = T2y = w
Thus for impending motion of the system to occur, w = 30 N, which is the maximum value
of w for which the system still remains in equilibrium.
4. A box of strawberries weighing 20 N rests on a horizontal surface. The coefficient of static
friction between box and surface is 0.40 and the coefficient of sliding friction is 0.20.
a. How large is the friction force exerted on the box?
Answer: If the box just sits on the surface without any horizontal forces applied to it,
then there would be zero friction force exerted on the box.
b. How great will the friction force be if a horizontal force of 5 N is exerted on the box?
Answer: As the horizontal force of 5 N is applied, the horizontal surface will exert an
equal and opposite frictional force of 5 N on the box.
c. What is the minimum force that will start the box in motion?
Answer: As the applied horizontal force is increased, the resisting frictional force will
increase at the same rate cancelling the effect of the applied force until the frictional force
reaches a maximum value equal to µs N = 0.4(20 N) = 8 N. This is the minimum force
needed to initiate impending motion of the box.
d. What is the minimum force that will keep the box in motion?
Answer: As the box slides over the surface, the sliding friction exerted by the surface
reduces to µk N = 0.2(20 N) = 4 N, so for the box to keep sliding over the surface, a
minimum horizontal force equal to 4 N must be applied.

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 e. If the horizontal force is 10 N, how great is the friction force?
Answer: If a horizontal force of 10 N is applied while the box is at rest, the friction force
will increase up to its maximum value of 8 N and since this is not enough to cancel the
applied force, the box will start to accelerate from rest. However, the frictional force at
the instant of impending motion will still be 8 N.

5. A man pushes a 200-N box of books up a 45◦ ramp by pushing horizontally on it, as shown
in the figure below. The coefficient of kinetic friction is 0.3.

45◦

a. What force must he exert to make the box move with constant speed?
Answer: The figure below shows the free-body diagram of the box. Note that the applied
force F has been resolved into its components (Fx , Fy ). The weight w likewise has been
resolved into its components (wx , wy ) where

Fx = F cos 45◦ wx = w cos 45◦

Fy = F sin 45◦ wy = w sin 45◦

Fx
y

45◦ f F

N
wx
45◦ wy

w = 200 N Fy

If the box is moving up at constant speed, it is still in equilibrium and the equilibrium
equations along the x- and y-directions still apply. Summing forces along the y-direction
gives us:
∑
Fy = 0 = N − Fy − wy = N − F sin 45◦ − w sin 45◦
N = F sin 45◦ + w sin 45◦ (1)

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 Summing forces along the x-direction yields:
∑
Fx = 0 = Fx − wx − f = F cos 45◦ − w cos 45◦ − µk N
0 = F cos 45◦ − w cos 45◦ − µk N (2)

Plugging the value of N in Eqn (1) into Eqn (2) and simplifying yields
( )
cos 45◦ + µk sin 45◦
F =w (3)
cos 45◦ − µk sin 45◦

Given that w = 200 N and µk = 0.30 and plugging them into Eqn (3) yields

F = 371.43 N

The man must push the box with a force of 371.43 N horizontally to move the box up the
incline at constant speed.
b. Suppose µk is greater than 0.3; show that if it exceeds a certain critical value, the man
cannot push the box up the ramp, no matter how hard he pushes. Find the critical value
of µk .
Answer: Note that in Eqn (3), the value in parenthesis blows up to infinity when the
denominator is zero and the only way for this condition to be satisfied is for µk = 1.
Thus, the critical value of µk is 1 which results in a value of F equal to ∞.