Inclined Plane

• Verify the composition of forces

Consider a box full of books that we can pull from one side. If someone wants to help us, he can, for example, push it from the opposite side. In this case the box will move quickly, because the two forces have the same direction.

Otherwise, if someone pulls it on the opposite side, with an equal force, the box will not move. The two forces have opposite directions so that if we now want to move the box, we must apply a force greater than the other one.

According to vector algebra, the sum of two forces applied at the same point can be obtained geometrically using the “parallelogram law”.

Let us consider two vectors a and b; let us draw them from the same starting point. Then draw a parallelogram whose sides are the vectors themselves; now let us consider the two diagonals of the parallelogram.

When a body is placed on an inclined plane the weight force acting on it can be split into two components: one is parallel to the plane, the second one, normal to the plane, indicated as n, is equal and opposite to the reaction of the plane.

If we change the plane slope these two components will change as the following formulas state.

• Pulley for inclined plane — 4112.05
• Tubular Spring Balance (plastic) 2.5 N — 4110.0x
• Inclined plane, with 3 different Track terminals — 5491.11
• Support Rod, length 500 mm. — 5408.81.L500
• Cart for Inclined Plane — 4114.82
• Bosshead In PVC, 20 x 20x 60 mm, with blue knobs. — 5401.22
• Polyester inelastic cord, diam. 0.8, length 10m — 4113.20
• Hook for Cart — 4114.80-011
• Rod with clip — 4113.50
• Rod diam. 10 x length 127 with hook — 4113.53
• Suspension ring, for rods up to 10 mmdiameter — 5401.60
• Support Rod, length 350 mm. — 5408.81.L350

• How would you experimentally estimate the static friction coefficient due to the specific material coating our friction block?
• Which component of weight gives rise to static friction?