HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
Earn 100

A box of mass 12 kg is at rest on a rough horizontal surface with coefficient of friction 0.6. A force is exerted on it at an angle $\theta$ above the horizontal so that the force required to break equilibrium is minimised. Show that θ is the angle of friction and find the size of the force required to break equilibrium.

Important Questions on Friction

HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A box has mass 40 kg and is on a rough slope with coefficient of friction 0.3. It is pulled up the slope by a force of 300 N at 10° above the slope and is in limiting equilibrium. Find the angle that the slope makes with the horizontal.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A ring of mass m kg is at rest on a fixed rough horizontal wire with coefficient of friction μ. It is attached to a string that is at an angle of α above the horizontal. Show that when T<mgsinαcos(α-θ) and θ=tan-1μ the ring will be in equilibrium. Show further that if α+θ90° and T>mgsinαcos(α-θ) the ring will always move, but if α+θ>90° and T>mgsinθsin(α+θ-90) the ring will remain in equilibrium.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT

A particle of weight W is at rest on a rough slope, which makes an angle of α to the horizontal. The coefficient of friction between the particle and the slope is μ. Assuming θ+α<90°, where θ=tan-1μ, show that the minimum force F required to break equilibrium and make the particle slide up the slope is F=Wsin(θ+α) and that F makes an angle $\theta$ to the slope above the particle.

Show further that in the case where α<θ, the minimum force F required to break equilibrium and make the particle slide down the slope is F=Wsin(θ-α) and that F makes an angle θ to the slope below the particle.

MEDIUM
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A horizontal force, T, acts on a particle of mass 12 kg, which is on a rough horizontal plane. Given that the particle is on the point of slipping and that the coefficient of friction is 0.35, find the size of T.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A particle of mass 15 kg is on a slope at an angle 25° to the horizontal. The coefficient of friction between the particle and the slope is 0.3. A force, P, acts up the slope along the line of greatest slope. Find the set of values for P for the particle to be in equilibrium.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A bowler rolls a ten-pin bowling ball of mass 4 kg along a horizontal lane. The ball is released with a speed of 9 ms-1. The coefficient of friction between the ball and the lane is 0.04. The first pin is 18.5 m away. Find the speed at which the ball hits the pin.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A brick of mass 4.3 kg is being pushed up a slope by a force of 40 N parallel to the slope. The slope is at 13° to the horizontal and the coefficient of friction between the brick and the slope is 0.55. Find the acceleration of the brick.
HARD
AS and A Level
IMPORTANT
A boat of mass 5 tonnes is being launched from rest into the sea by sliding it down a ramp. The ramp is at 5° to the horizontal and is lubricated so the coefficient of friction is only 0.08. The ramp is 40 m long before the boat enters the sea. Find the speed with which the boat enters the sea.