the component of
gravity down the inclined
plane by thinking “sine”
equals “sliding.”Here’s How to Crack It
Let m be the mass of the block, so the force that pulls the block down the incline is
mg sinθ, and the block’s acceleration down the plane is
Note that the mass of an object does not determine the acceleration of an object
down an inclined plane. Gravity pulls objects at the same rate, regardless of mass.
- A block slides down an inclined plane that makes an angle θ
with the horizontal. If the coefficient of kinetic friction is μ, find the
acceleration of the block.
Here’s How to Crack It
First draw a free-body diagram. Notice that in the diagram shown below, the
weight of the block, Fw = mg, has been written in terms of its scalar components:
Fwsinθ parallel to the ramp, and Fwcosθ normal to the ramp.