A block of mass is pulled along a rough horizontal surface by a rope as sketched in the figure below. The tension in the rope is 45 N, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface is
To find the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface, you can use the following steps:
1. Identify the forces acting on the block: In this case, the tension in the rope and the force of kinetic friction.
2. Use Newton's second law of motion: The sum of the forces acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. In this case, the acceleration is zero since the block is being pulled at a constant velocity. Therefore, the sum of the forces is zero.
3. Set up the equation: The tension in the rope is equal to the force of kinetic friction. So, Tension = Force of kinetic friction.
4. Substitute the known values: The tension in the rope is given as 45 N.
5. Solve for the force of kinetic friction: Substitute the known value of tension into the equation and solve for the force of kinetic friction.
Once you have calculated the force of kinetic friction, you can use the equation Fk = μk * N, where Fk is the force of kinetic friction, μk is the coefficient of kinetic friction, and N is the normal force. The normal force is equal to the weight of the block, which is given by the equation N = m * g, where m is the mass of the block and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s^2 on Earth).
Finally, you can find the coefficient of kinetic friction by dividing the force of kinetic friction by the normal force.