A 50-kg penguin stands on ice. A helium balloon is attached to the penguin by means of a harness and pulls upward with a force of 90 N. What is the normal force of the ice on the penguin?
Fnormal = M*g - 90 N
where M is the mass of the penguin.
To determine the normal force of the ice on the penguin, we need to consider the forces acting on the penguin.
1. Gravitational force (Weight): The weight of the penguin can be calculated using the formula w = m * g, where w is the weight, m is the mass, and g is the acceleration due to gravity. In this case, the mass of the penguin is 50 kg and the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s^2. Therefore, the weight of the penguin is 50 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 = 490 N.
2. Upward force from the helium balloon: The force exerted by the helium balloon is given as 90 N, pulling upward.
Since the penguin is at rest on the ice, the net force acting on it must be zero. This means that the sum of the downward forces must be equal to the sum of the upward forces.
Considering this, we can calculate the normal force of the ice on the penguin using the equation:
Normal force = Weight - Upward force from the balloon
Normal force = 490 N - 90 N = 400 N
Therefore, the normal force of the ice on the penguin is 400 N.