A man attempts to pick up his suitcase of weight ws by pulling straight up on the handle. However, he is unable to lift the suit
case from the floor. Which statement about the magnitude of the normal force n acting on the suitcase is true during the time that the man pulls upward on the suitcase? a. The magnitude of the normal force is equal to the magnitude of the weight of the suitcase.
b. The magnitude of the normal force is equal to the magnitude of the weight of the suitcase minus the magnitude of the force of the pull.
c. The magnitude of the normal force is equal to the sum of the magnitude of the force of the pull and the magnitude of the suitcase's weight.
d. The magnitude of the normal force is greater than the magnitude of the weight of the suitcase
Normal force, is always directed upward the surface over which is placed the object, and can adopt any value, as required to meet Newton's 2nd Law.
In this case, as the external force on the suitcase pulls upward, in order to counteract the influence of gravity, normal force is less than the weight of the suitcase, as follows:
F + Fn = m*g
⇒ Fn = m*g - F
So, the normal force is equal to the magnitude of the weight of the suitcase (m*g) minus the magnitude of the force of the pull (F) which is the same expressed by the statement b.
