Find the Total Force if there is a 70 kg box on a surface with k = 0.5, and it is pushed with a force of 400 N.

Question

Find the Total Force if there is a 70 kg box on a surface with k = 0.5, and it is pushed with a force of 400 N.

Answer 1

Let

P = 400 N be the pushing force,

m = 70 kg be the mass of the box,

g = 9.81 m/s² be gravitational acceleration,

W = mg be the weight of the box,

k = 0.5 be the coefficient of friction,

F = Wk be the force of friction.

Since the force of friction F acts always in the direction opposite to the pushing force P,

the Total Force is the difference

P - F = P - mgk = 400 - 70×9.81×0.5 = 57 N