Forces

C Team Problem Set

Physics Team

The questions range from a difficulty of 1 to a difficulty of 3. Try your best,

and make sure to have fun!

1 Formula Sheet

∑ ⃗F = m⃗a
Ffriction,static ≤ µs N
Ffriction,kinetic = µk N
v f = v0 + at
1
∆⃗x =⃗vt + ⃗at 2
2
sin(90 − θ ) = cos θ
cos(90 − θ ) = sin θ

2 Problems

Problem 1: Many people take Newtons to be one of the fundamental units, but
Newtons can really be expressed in terms of other ”more basic” units. Express
Newtons in terms of kilograms, meters, and seconds.

Difficulty: 1

1
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Problem 2: A block is at rest on an inclined plane of angle θ (Figure 1).

a) What is the coefficient of static friction needed to prevent the block from
sliding down the plane?

b) What happens if µs is greater than that critical value?

Difficulty: 1

Figure 1: Block on inclined plane

Problem 3: A block of mass m = 3kg is being pushed with a horizontal force

F = 9N across some level ground.

a) What is the acceleration of the block? You may neglect friction.

m
b) The block then slides over some carpet with an acceleration of a = 0.5 .
s2
What is the coefficient of friction? Is it kinetic friction or static friction?

Difficulty: 1

Problem 4: A block of mass m = 10kg is pulled by a string at angle θ = 45◦ from

the horizontal, with a force of 50N (Figure 2). Assume all surfaces are frictionless.

a) Is there any vertical acceleration? Why or why not?

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b) Find the equation for the position of the block as a function of time.

c) What is the normal force? Is it less than or greater than what it would be
without the string?
Difficulty: 1

θ
m

Figure 2: String pulling Block

Problem 5: A block of mass m is sitting atop a block of mass M as shown in

Figure 3.
a) What force causes the top block to move with the bottom block when a force
F is applied?

b) What is the maximum value of F for which the blocks will move together?
Difficulty: 1

F
M

Figure 3: Blocks Stacked

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Problem 6: A block initially at rest slides down a frictionless inclined plane of

angle θ . After it has slid a distance ∆x, it has a velocity v. Find θ .

Difficulty: 1

Problem 7: Hookes law says that the force a spring exerts is proportional to the
distance it is stretched. Mathematically,

Fs = −kx

Here k is called the spring constant, and the minus sign represents that the force
points in the opposite direction as x.
Take a spring facing upwards and slowly put a block of mass m on top of it.
What distance does it stretch? How does your answer behave as k → ∞?

Difficulty: 1

Problem 8: Prove that µstatic ≥ µkinetic .

Hint: Think of a proof by contradiction.

Difficulty: 2

Problem 9: A block of mass m is stationary on a frictionless inclined plane that

has an acceleration of a (Figure 4). What is the normal force on the block?

Difficulty: 2
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a
θ

Figure 4: Accelerating inclined plane

Problem 10: A block on an inclined plane of angle θ (see Figure 1) slides down
the plane. Show that the acceleration of the block is given by:

a = g sin θ − µk g cos θ

How does this behave if θ → 0 or θ → 90◦ ? What about µ → 0? Do the limits

make sense?
Difficulty: 2
Problem 11: Two masses m and M are pushed by a force F (Figure 5). Find:
a) The acceleration a of the masses.

b) The normal force between m and M.

Difficulty: 2

M
F
m

Figure 5: Force on Two Blocks

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Problem 12: Two block of masses m and M are connected via the configuration
show in Figure 6. Find the acceleration of the masses. You may assume massless
ropes and pulleys, and frictionless surfaces.
Difficulty: 2

Figure 6: Inclined Plane Pulleys

Problem 13: Two masses m and M are connected via a massless rope and pulley
as shown in Figure 7. What is the minimum coefficient of friction needed to
prevent m from moving?
Difficulty: 2

Figure 7: Two masses and a Pulley

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Problem 14: A block on an inclined plane of angle θ (see Figure 1) slides down
the plane. What happens if we don’t tilt our axes to be parallel and perpendicular
to the plane? We then get the following F = ma equations:

N cos θ + f sin θ − mg = may

N sin θ − f cos θ = max
f = µN

Where f is the force caused by friction.

What is the relationship between ax and ay that will allow us to solve this
system of equations? This is called the constraint equation.

Difficulty: 3

Problem 15: Take the system of masses shown in Figure 8. Assuming you exert
an upwards force F to keep the pulley stationary:

a) Find the accelerations of m1 and m2

b) Show that

4m1 m2
F= g
m1 + m2

Hint: Try to express F in terms of T

Source: Morin, Problems and Solutions in Introductory Mechanics, 2014

Difficulty: 3
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Figure 8: Two masses on a pulley