A block slides across a horizontal surface with an initial speed of
PHYSICS · Multi-part · A Level · Physics · Mechanics and materials · Mechanics and materials
Problem
A 2.5kg block slides across a horizontal surface with an initial speed of 3.2ms−1. The block comes to rest after traveling 1.8m on the surface. Ignore all forces except kinetic friction and the weight–normal pair.
(a) Determine the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface.
(b) If the same block is launched on the same surface with twice the original speed, calculate the new stopping distance.
(c) Using your results, discuss quantitatively whether the time required for the block to stop is doubled, quadrupled, or altered by some other factor when the initial speed is doubled. Justify your answer.