A small puck rests on a nearly frictionless horizontal air table
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A small puck rests on a nearly frictionless horizontal air table. Two horizontal forces already act on the puck:
• Force 1 has magnitude 25 N and points due east.
• Force 2 has magnitude 40 N and points 60° north of east.
A third horizontal force is to be applied so that the puck remains at rest.
(a) Express the x- and y-components of Forces 1 and 2 numerically, taking the +x-axis to be east and the +y-axis to be north.
(b) Determine the magnitude and direction (angle measured counter-clockwise from the +x-axis) of the single additional force that will keep the puck in equilibrium. Answer to the nearest newton and degree.
(c) Verify your result by showing explicitly that the vector sum of all three forces is the zero vector.