(Physics) Acceleration and Normal Force

Question

A squirrel hops in a sled on a snow back that has an angle of 35 degrees relative to the horizontal. The total mass of the squirrel and the sled together is 0.85kg and there is no frictional force between the sled and the snow surface. The magnitude of the gravitational accleration is 9.8 m/s^2.

A) What is the acceleration of the squirrel and sled combined?

B) What is the normal force exerted on the squirrel ad the sled combined?

Answer 1

Use the formula:

∑F_// = ma_// which says that the sum of the forces parallel to the incline equals the mass of the object times the acceleration in the direction parallel to the incline.

The force of gravity down the hill equals: mg sin 35

This is the only force parallel to the incline.

The normal force is mg cos 35