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joej24
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Homework Statement
A crate is located in the center of a flatbed truck. The truck accelerates to the east and the crate moves with it, not sliding at all. What is the direction of the friction force exerted by the truck on the crate?
a) it is to the west
b) it is to the east
c) No friction force exists be cause the crate is not sliding.
Homework Equations
F net= ma
The Attempt at a Solution
Since the crate is accelerating to the east, I thought that the friction force must be in the opposite direction. But the answer is B) east
This is the book solution. I don't quite understand why still after reading it.
The crate accelerates to the east because the only horizontal force
acting on it is the force of static friction between its bottom surface
and the truck bed, that force must also be directed to the east.I understand that the only horizontal force acting on the crate is static friction but not why the direction of friction is east.