What is Wedge: Definition and 278 Discussions

A wedge is a triangular shaped tool, and is a portable inclined plane, and one of the six simple machines. It can be used to separate two objects or portions of an object, lift up an object, or hold an object in place. It functions by converting a force applied to its blunt end into forces perpendicular (normal) to its inclined surfaces. The mechanical advantage of a wedge is given by the ratio of the length of its slope to its width. Although a short wedge with a wide angle may do a job faster, it requires more force than a long wedge with a narrow angle.
The force is applied on a flat, broad surface. This energy is transported to the pointy, sharp end of the wedge, hence the force is transported.
The wedge simply transports energy and collects it to the pointy end, consequently breaking the item. In this way, much pressure is put on a thin area.

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  1. S

    Maximizing Friction Coefficient for Block on a Wedge: A Calculus Approach

    Homework Statement A block of mass m is placed on a rough wedge inclined at an angle α to the horizontal, a distance d up the slope from the bottom of the wedge. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and wedge is given by µ_0x/d, where x is the distance down the slope from the...
  2. A

    Body decay on the axis of an infinite wedge

    Homework Statement On the axis of an infinite wedge that moves with velocity ##\vec{V}##, the body decays with the formation of a lot of splinters that fly away uniformly in all directions with velocity ##\vec{u}##. What should be the angle of the wedge that half of the splinters fall on its...
  3. S

    I Understanding the Wedge Product on a 3-dim Manifold

    Hello! The cohomology ring on an M-dim manifold is defined as ##H^*(M)=\oplus_{r=1}^mH^r(M)## and the product on ##H^*## is provided by the wedge product between cohomology classes i.e. ## [a]## ##\wedge## ##[c]## ##= [a \wedge c]##, where ##[a]\in H^r(M)##, ##[c]\in H^p(M)## and ##[a \wedge...
  4. F

    Acceleration of a block on a moving wedge

    Homework Statement A block of mass 0.5Kg rests on the inclined surface of a wedge of mass 2kg. The wedge is acted on by a horizontal force that slides on a frictionless surface. If the coefficient of static friction between the wedge and the block is 0.8 and the angle is 35 degrees, find the...
  5. S

    I How Can Wedge Products Be Used in Differential Geometry?

    Hello! I am reading something about differential geometry and I have that for a manifold M and a point ##p \in M## we denote ##\Omega_p^r(M)## the vector space of r-forms at p. Then they say that any ##\omega \in \Omega_p^r(M)## can be expanded in terms of wedge products of one-forms at p i.e...
  6. M

    Thin film interference—find the height of a wedge

    Homework Statement Two rectangular pieces of plane glass 11.0 cm long are laid upon the other on a table. At one end they are in contact, at the other end they are separated by a piece of paper, which forms a thin wedge of air. The plates are illuminated at normal incidence by 510 nm light...
  7. V

    Acceleration of a frictionless block on a frictionless wedge

    Homework Statement There is no friction between any surfaces mass is known. Find acceleration of the blocks. Homework Equations F=ma The Attempt at a Solution I'm almost certian Amx=g sin θ AMy=0
  8. NoahCygnus

    Motion analysis of an accelerating wedge and a block

    I don't understand the motion of an accelerating wedge and a block. I'd really appreciate if you make me understand the motion in both an inertial and a non inertial reference frame. Here's a figure I have made, a0 is the acceleration on the wedge with respect to an inertial frame, towards right.
  9. S

    I Proving the Wedge Product of 2 One-Forms is a 2-Form

    Hello! I was trying to show that the wedge product of 2 one-forms is a 2-form. So we have ## (A \wedge B)_{\mu \nu} = A_\mu B_\nu - A_\nu B_\mu ##. So to show that this is a (0,2) tensor, we need to show that ##(A \wedge B)_{\mu' \nu'} = \Lambda_{\mu'}^\mu \Lambda_{\nu'}^\nu (A \wedge B)_{\mu...
  10. W

    Velocity of particle leaving wedge

    Homework Statement In the given figure, a wedge of mass 2m is lying at rest on a horizontal surface. The wedge has a cavity which is the portion of a sphere of radius R. A small sphere of mass m is released from the top edge of the cavity to slide down. All surfaces are smooth.Prove the maximum...
  11. E

    Relative Acceleration - Particle and Wedge

    I would be very grateful for help with deriving the following equation... "A smooth fixed plane is inclined at 30 degrees to the horizontal. A wedge of mass M and angle 30 degrees is held on the surface so that its upper face is horizontal, and a particle of mass m rests on this face. The...
  12. M

    MHB Are These Equations for Particle and Wedge Dynamics Correct?

    im stuck on question 8. the equation i got for the wedge is .6R -.5S=ma r stands for relative force of the particle s stands for relative force of the wedge . i got the equation 4mg-R=5m(.6a) for the particle where a stands for acceleration of the wedge. does anyone know where to go from here...
  13. Kevin McHugh

    I Wedge product of basis vectors

    Is there a set of relationships for the wedge product of basis vectors as there are for the dot product and the cross product? i.e. e1*e1 = 1 e1*e2 = 0 e1 x e2 = e3
  14. M

    MHB Particles on a Wedge Q4: Find Accel & Force

    Q4 A wedge of mass 11 kg is held on the ground with its base horizontal and smooth faces inclined at 30° and 45° respectively to the horizontal. A 5 kg mass on the face inclined at 30° is connected to a 7 kg mass on the other face by a light inextensible string which passes over a smooth light...
  15. V

    Block on movable wedge pulley system

    Homework Statement What is the relationship between " acceleration of block with respect to wedge" and "acceleration of wedge " ? Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution If the wedge moves by x units , then the string gets loosened/shortened at three places . The top two are x units...
  16. V

    A How to switch from tensor products to wedge product

    Suppose we are given this definition of the wedge product for two one-forms in the component notation: $$(A \wedge B)_{\mu\nu}=2A_{[\mu}B_{\nu]}=A_{\mu}B_{\nu}-A_{\nu}B_{\mu}$$ Now how can we show the switch from tensor products to wedge product below...
  17. Mr Davis 97

    Block and acceleration of wedge

    Homework Statement A block rests on a wedge inclined at angle ##\theta##. The coefficient of friction between the block and plane is ##\mu##. The wedge is given a horizontal acceleration ##a##. Assuming that ##\tan \theta > \mu##, find the minimum acceleration from the block to remain on the...
  18. K

    Masses sliding on a smooth wedge

    Homework Statement [/B]Mass m lies on a Weighing scale which is on Wagon M. the inclined surface is smooth, between m and M there is enough friction to prevent m from moving. 1) What does the weigh show? 2) What is the minimum coefficient of friction between m and M to prevent slipping? 3)...
  19. A

    Why can't the acceleration of a wedge be found by simply....

    ↪ mentor note: thread moved to h/w forum so template is missing ↩ Hi, I have recently been learning relative acceleration and I have a bit of trouble with basics; In a problem with a smooth wedge on a smooth plane, a mass is gently placed on the wedge and I've been asked to find the...
  20. G

    Is a Spaetzle Maker a Lever? The Science Behind Noodle Extrusion

    My son and I were arguing about whether or not a particular noodle maker called a Spaetzle Maker is a lever. I say it is, and he says it isn't. Basically, one uses it to extrude raw noodle batter (eggs and semolina flour) over a pot of boiling water. It looks like a flat cheese grater with a...
  21. E

    B Which of the two is the reason a block slides down a wedge?

    Is the reason the block slides down the plane that the resultant of the normal force N and mg acts along the plane causing it to slide or is it because of the component of mg parallel to the plane acting on the box i.e. mgsin(theta)
  22. V

    Understanding the Dynamics of Acceleration in the Wedge Problem

    In the adjoining figure if acceleration of M with respect to ground is a, then A) Acceleration of m with respect to M is a B) Acceleration of m with respect to ground is asin(α/2) C) Acceleration of m with respect to ground is a D) Acceleration of m with respect to ground is atan(α) The 2nd...
  23. putongren

    What is the acceleration of a wedge with an inclined mass resting on it?

    A block of mass m rests on a frictionless wedge that has an inclination of θ and mass M. Find the acceleration of the wedge M to the right such that the block m remains stationary relative to the wedge 1. Homework Statement a, \theta , M, mHomework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution Draw a...
  24. Math Amateur

    More (VERY BASIC) Questions on Example on Wedge Products

    I am reading Barrett O'Neil's book: Elementary Differential Geometry ... I need help with some more issues/problems with the example on wedge products of differential forms in O'Neill's text on page 31 in Section 1.6 ..The example reads as follows: In my working of the example above ... trying...
  25. Math Amateur

    Simple/Basic Example on Wedge Products

    I am reading Barrett O'Neil's book: Elementary Differential Geometry ... I need help with fully understanding the example on wedge products of differential forms in O'Neill's text on page 31 in Section 1.6 ..The example reads as follows: I do not follow the computations in this example ... can...
  26. A

    Acceleration of wedge due to normal force exerted by block?

    This isn't actually a problem. It is a doubt which I have about wedges according to Newton's Laws Consider a friction less wedge, of mass 'M', inclined at angle θ, placed on a smooth horizontal surface, on which a block of mass 'm' is placed. The block exerts some normal force perpendicular to...
  27. A

    Solve Block Wedge Problem: Find Speed of Triangle Block

    Homework Statement A block of mass m is placed on a triangular block of mass M, which in turn is placed on a horizontal surface as shown. Assume frictionless surfaces. Find the speed of triangular block when the small block reaches the bottom end, Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution...
  28. A

    Solve Wedge-Block Problem: Velocity of Block

    Homework Statement A block of mass m is placed on a triangular block of mass M which in turn is placed on a horizontal surface. Assuming friction less surfaces find the velocity of the triangular block when the smaller block reaches the bottom end.The angle of inclination of the plane is...
  29. Nathanael

    Find the acceleration of the wedge (see picture)

    Homework Statement In the arrangement shown in fig 1.24, the masses of the bar, m, and of the wedge, M, and also the wedge angle, ##\alpha##, are known. The masses of the thread and pulley are negligible, and friction is absent. Find the acceleration of the wedge M. The Attempt at a...
  30. P

    Determining the Net Force on a Wedge and Block System

    Homework Statement [/B] For the situation shown in the diagram, the block of mass m remains in place on the sloping front of the accelerating wedge, even though that sloping front is frictionless. Given these values, M = 20.0 kg, m = 4.00 kg, and theta= 34.0, calculate the net force acting on...
  31. Titan97

    Finding Normal Reaction between Wedge and Block

    Homework Statement A block of mass m is kept on a smooth wedge of angle α and mass M which is in turn kept on a smooth floor. When the system is released from rest, calculate the force exerted by block on the wedge. Homework Equations None. The Attempt at a Solution Let the block a have a...
  32. V

    Find Acceleration of Wedge with Rope Pulled by Constant Force T

    Homework Statement [/B] In the attached picture, the rope is being pulled by a constant force T. All the surfaces are smooth. The pulley and the rope are massless and frictionless. Find the acceleration of the wedge.(use g=10ms-2) Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution The normal force...
  33. Dethrone

    MHB Confused by Spherical Wedge Graphing on z-y Plane

    Part (a) is easy to do by setting up a triple integral, but for part (b), I was a bit confused by the diagram provided by the solutions manual: Why is the spherical wedge (shaded) graphed on the z-y axis? In the most general case, shouldn't the two lines that form angle $\phi_1$ and $\phi_2$...
  34. V

    Weight of man on small wedge sliding on larger wedge

    Homework Statement A man is standing on a small wedge that is sliding down a frictionless large wedge (base on the ground - horizontal) with angle 60. I don't have a picture so I'll just say that the surface of the smaller wedge is parallel to the ground. It has a weighing machine on it and the...
  35. AlephNumbers

    Maximizing range of projectile on a wedge

    Homework Statement A greasy spud is launched off of the top of an infinitely large frictionless wedge. The angle that the wedge slopes down at is 30 degrees. Find the launch angle that maximizes the horizontal range of the spud.Homework Equations [/B] x = x0 + vxt + (1/2)at2 The Attempt at a...
  36. gracy

    How the wedge is connected with string

    how the wedge is connected with highlighted string?
  37. Y

    Block moving towards movable wedge

    Homework Statement A small block with mass m is moving towards a stationary slope with velocity v, angle θ and height h, suppose all surfaces are frictionless. Suppose the slope has mass M and it is able to move freely on the ground, what is the minimum initial speed for the block to be able...
  38. gracy

    Max Velocity of Wedge: When Block Reaches Height h

    Homework Statement :There is a wedge of mass kept on smooth surface. M and block of mass m is sliding in the depression of the wedge.And there is wall in left of the wedge.At which instant velocity of the wedge will be maximum?(surface of contact between wedge and block is smooth) [/B]...
  39. gracy

    Wedge and block initial momentum

    Homework Statement :block slides on smooth triangular wedge kept on smooth floor.Find velocity of wedge when block reaches bottom. (image is attached) Homework Equations :Let the velocity of the triangular wedge be V.And v be the velocity of block m. [/B] applying conservation of linear...
  40. Ravi Mohan

    Tensor density from wedge product

    Hi, I am studying Sean Carroll's "Lecture notes on General Relativity". In the second chapter he identifies the volume element d^nx on an n-dimensional manifold with dx^0\wedge\ldots\wedge dx^{n-1}. He then claims that this wedge product should be interpreted as a coordinate dependent object...
  41. P

    Find Constraint Equation for Block on Wedge

    Suppose we want to find the constraint equation relating the acceleration of a block on a wedge to the acceleration of the wedge (see attached images). We can write: $$h - y = (x - X) \tan{\theta}$$ What if ##X## was measured to the centre of mass of the wedge for instance? Wouldn't the correct...
  42. faofao

    Difference betweend Fizeau and Wedge Interferometry

    Hey everybody, I have a question concerning the difference (if any) of the Fizeau and Wedge Interferometry. I am currently writing my thesis on a project which uses a glass wedge with air in between. This concept is fairly well discussed and background of this can be found in several textbooks...
  43. J

    Geometry Matrices and wedge product concepts needed

    I want to learn clifford and grassmannian algebras. I need to be taken from mostly a beginners point, and from a place of matrices only in general terms, and years since use. ANybody up for it? I am a software developer, so not at the bottom of any learning curve.
  44. hideelo

    Is Wedge Product the Same as Cross Product?

    I guess the title really says it all. I'm reading "space-time algebra" by David Hestenes, and he explains the properties of the wedge product (area of parallelogram, antisymmetric, etc.) and it sounds just like the cross product to me. He then says clearly however that this is not to be...
  45. CopyOfA

    Potenial inside Wedge due to Line Charge

    Homework Statement We are given a wedge configuration with three sections. There are two conducting planes held at zero potential that make an angle of ##2\beta## with each other. They are connected by a portion of a conducting cylinder with radius ##a##. An infinite uniform line charge of...
  46. O

    Block on moving wedge (Maximum force for equilibrium problem

    Homework Statement Given: The friction between the block with mass 11kg and the wedge with mass 22kg is 0.48. The surface between the wedge with mass 22kg and the horizontal plane is smooth (without friction). The [A][/g] = 9.8m/[/2]. A Block is released on the incline plane (top side of...
  47. R

    Finding the minimum force F which must be exerted

    Homework Statement Given: The friction between the block with mass 6 kg and the wedge with mass 18 kg is 0.27 . The surface between the wedge with mass 18 kg and the horizontal plane is smooth (without friction). The acceleration of gravity is 9.8 m/s^ 2. A block is released on the inclined...
  48. Feodalherren

    What is the smallest horizontal force needed to move the crate upward?

    Homework Statement The crate shown is held against wedge B by a spring. The spring is 96.0% of its original uncompressed lengthl=2.75m, and the spring constant is given ask=1650N/m. The coefficient of static friction at all contacting surfaces is μs=0.150. The mass of the crate is m=22.0kg ...
  49. S

    Calculating Friction Force with Wedge Action Modeling

    Hi, kind of stuck with how to calculate frictional forces in a particular problem: I am modeling yarn using mass spring system, zero dimensional nodes. Question is, what to do when a yarn can get stuck between a wedge? How to calculate friction force vector, surface reaction and so? Since a...
  50. P

    Antisymmetrization in Wedge Product: Exploring $$\alpha \Lambda \beta$$

    If I want to take the wedge product of $$\alpha = a_i\theta^i $$ and $$\beta = b_j\theta^j$$ I get after applying antisymmetrization,$$ \alpha \Lambda \beta = \frac{1}{2}(a_ib_j - a_jb_i)\theta^i\theta^j$$ My question is it seems to me that antisymmetrization technique doesn't apply to the...
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