4) How many forces act on an upwardly tossed coin when it gets to the top of its path
To determine the number of forces acting on an upwardly tossed coin when it reaches the top of its path, we need to analyze the situation.
When the coin reaches the top of its path, it momentarily stops before starting to descend. At this point, there are two main forces acting on the coin:
1. Gravitational force (Weight): This force always acts downward towards the center of the Earth, regardless of the coin's position. In this case, it is pulling the coin downward.
2. Normal force: The normal force is the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it. At the top of the coin's path, there is no surface supporting it, so the normal force is absent.
Therefore, when the coin reaches the top of its path, only one force is acting on it, which is the gravitational force pulling it downward.
Please note that we are considering ideal conditions where the effects of air resistance and other external forces are negligible.