A person roller skates down a street heading West. What is true about friction in this case?
I am unaware of how the direction of travel solely effects friction. What other factors are being considered?
the choices are 1- does not effect the skates
2- pulls the skates eastward
3- pulls the skates downward toward the center of the earth
4- pulls the skates westward
To determine what is true about friction in this case, we need to understand the basic principles of friction and consider the situation at hand.
Friction is a force that opposes the motion between two surfaces that are in contact with each other. It works against the motion, making it difficult for objects to slide across each other. In the context of roller skating down a street, there are two surfaces in contact: the wheels of the roller skates and the surface of the street.
In this case, the person is roller skating heading West. Since the person is moving, there must be a force propelling them forward. Assuming the person is not actively pushing themselves with their feet, the force in question is most likely due to gravity (assuming the street is inclined) or an initial push.
When moving forward, the force of friction acts in the opposite direction of motion, according to Newton's third law of motion. Therefore, as the person roller skates heading West, the force of friction will act in the Eastward direction (opposite to their direction of motion). This frictional force acts as a resistance to their movement, requiring them to exert more effort to continue skating forward.
So, in summary, what is true about friction in this case is that it opposes the motion of the person roller skating, exerting a force in the Eastward direction.