A book weighing 20 N is placed on a table.
How much support force does a table exert
on the book?
Answer in units of N.
What is the net force on the book in this case?
Answer in units of N.
afg
20N
20
To determine the support force exerted by the table on the book, we need to consider Newton's third law of motion which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. In this case, the weight of the book is the downward force acting on the table, and the support force exerted by the table on the book is the equal and opposite upward force.
1. Calculate the support force exerted by the table:
The support force exerted by the table is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the weight of the book. Therefore, the support force exerted by the table on the book is also 20 N (Newtons) in this case.
2. Calculate the net force on the book:
The net force on an object is the sum of all the forces acting on it. In this case, there are only two forces acting on the book: the downward force due to gravity (weight) and the upward support force exerted by the table.
Since these forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, they cancel each other out. Therefore, the net force on the book is 0 N (Newtons) in this case.