Exploration 4.1: Vectors for a Box on an Incline

Fnet = N | θ = °

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Exploration 4.1 represents a free-body diagram for a 20-N block on a 30o frictionless incline (the length of the vectors is given in newtons). The light gray lines represent the traditional xy axis, and the black lines represent the coordinates along the incline. The blue vector represents the normal force; the green vector represents the weight. You may move the tails of the blue and green vectors to add them and use the red vector to represent their resultant vector by dragging the red vector's tip. Restart.

  1. Determine the resultant force from the diagram.
  2. Determine the acceleration of the block.

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Physlets were developed at Davidson College and converted from Java to JavaScript using the SwingJS system developed at St. Olaf College.

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