When a horse pulls a 79 kg buggy down the road with a force of 51 N, the buggy hitch makes an angle of 25 degrees above the horizontal.

Question

When a horse pulls a 79 kg buggy down the road with a force of 51 N, the buggy hitch makes an angle of 25 degrees above the horizontal. If the force of friction on the buggy is 3 N, what is the buggy's acceleration?

Answer 1

Given:

Mb = 79 kg

Fa = 51 N

Theta = 25 degrees

Ff = 3N

Find:

a = ?

Solution:

W = 79 * 9.81 = 775 N

Buggy goes down the incline according to problem statement 

Sum force X = ma (make coordinate system along the same path of motion)

Fa + W * sin(theta) - Ff = ma

51 + 775sin(25) - 3 = 79a

51+327.5-3 = 79a

375.5 = 79a

a = 4.75 m/s^2