A force directed 50m below the x axis has an x component of 5N. Find its y component.
To find the y component of the force, we can use the Pythagorean theorem. The Pythagorean theorem states that in a right triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides.
In this case, we have a right triangle where the x component is 5N and the hypotenuse is the 50m distance below the x-axis. We want to find the y component, which is one of the sides of the right triangle.
Using the Pythagorean theorem, we can write the equation as:
y^2 + 5^2 = 50^2
Simplifying the equation:
y^2 + 25 = 2500
Subtracting 25 from both sides:
y^2 = 2475
Taking the square root of both sides:
y = ±√2475
Since the force is directed below the x-axis, the y component is negative. Therefore, the y component of the force is -√2475.
Therefore, the y component of the force is approximately -49.75 N.