You place a box weighing 375.6 N on an inclined plane that makes a 40◦ angle with the horizontal. Compute the component of the gravitational force acting down the inclined plane. Answer in units of N.

Question

You place a box weighing 375.6 N on an inclined plane that makes a 40◦ angle with the horizontal. Compute the component of the gravitational force acting down the inclined plane. Answer in units of N.

Answer 1

Draw the incline and show the force of gravity. You will notice it has a component on the incline. Using similar triangles you would notice that the angle it makes with the incline is 50◦. Hence you would use a component equation: 375.6 cos 50◦ = ...