Question

A block is released to slide down a frictionless incline of 15∘ and then it encounters a frictional surface with a coefficient of kinetic friction μk = 0.16
A)Choose the appropriate Conservation of Energy equation used to find the horizontal distance traveled on the frictional surface before the block stops if the length of the incline (d) is known.

Which is PEg+Work=0


Need help on B.

B)Find the position where the block stops on the horizontal frictional surface is the block has a mass of 25 kg and the length of the incline is 20.4 m .

d=_____m

Answer 1

The block's potential energy at the top of the incline (at a height h from the horizontal surface) is equal to its kinetic energy at the bottom of the incline, so that

mgh = 1/2 mv²

where v is its speed at the bottom of the incline. It follows that

v = √(2gh)

If the incline is 20.4 m long, that means the block has a starting height of

sin(15°) = h/(20.4 m)   ⇒   h = (20.4 m) sin(15°) ≈ 5.2799 m

and so the block attains a speed of

v = √(2gh) ≈ 10.1728 m/s

The block then slides to a rest over a distance d. Kinetic friction exerts a magnitude F over this distance and performs an amount of work equal to Fd. By the work-energy theorem, this quantity is equal to the block's change in kinetic energy, so that

Fd = 0 - 1/2 mv²   ⇒   d = (-1293.58 J)/F

By Newton's second law, the net vertical force on the block as it slides is

∑ F [vertical] = n - mg = 0

where n is the magnitude of the normal force, so that

n = mg = (25 kg) g = 245 N

and thus the magnitude of friction is

F = -0.16 (245 N) = -39.2 N

(negative since it opposes the block's motion)

Then the block slides a distance of

d = (-1293.58 J) / (-39.2 N) ≈ 32.9994 m ≈ 33 m