A small block is pressed against a vertical wall just hard enough that it is on the…
PHYSICS · Single correct · CBSE · Physics · Laws of Motion · Laws of Motion
Problem
A small block is pressed against a vertical wall just hard enough that it is on the verge of sliding downward. The normal force on the block is then doubled while all other conditions remain the same. Which outcome is most likely?
(a) The static friction force is unchanged because μs is constant; the block therefore slides downward.
(b) The maximum static friction is halved, so the block begins to slide downward.
(c) Doubling the normal force doubles the maximum static friction, so the block remains at rest.
(d) With the larger normal force, static friction now exceeds the weight of the block, causing it to accelerate upward.