A person pulls a wagon through thick grass with a force of 800 N. The angle that the handle makes with the ground is 35. How much force moves the wagon forward?
To determine the force that moves the wagon forward, you can use the concept of resolving forces. The force that moves the wagon forward is the component of the applied force that acts in the direction of motion, which is parallel to the ground.
1. Start by considering the applied force of 800 N. From the given information, we know that this force acts at an angle of 35 degrees with the ground.
2. To find the component of the force that acts in the direction of motion, you need to determine the horizontal component of the applied force. This component can be found by multiplying the applied force by the cosine of the angle.
Horizontal component of force = Applied force * cos(angle)
Horizontal component of force = 800 N * cos(35°)
3. Calculate the value using a calculator:
Horizontal component of force = 800 N * 0.819
Horizontal component of force ≈ 655.2 N
Therefore, the force that moves the wagon forward is approximately 655.2 N.