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Drizzt
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A 15kg box is being pushed at an angle of 20 degrees with a force of 20 Newtons. What is the force of friction?
The force of friction is the resistance force that occurs when two surfaces come into contact and move against each other. It acts in the opposite direction of the motion and is caused by the irregularities on the surfaces.
The force of friction can be calculated using the formula Ff = μN, where Ff is the force of friction, μ is the coefficient of friction, and N is the normal force. The coefficient of friction depends on the nature of the surfaces in contact and the normal force is the force perpendicular to the surface of contact.
The given values indicate the mass of the object (15kg), the angle of the inclined surface (20 degrees), and the applied force (20N). These values are important in determining the normal force and the coefficient of friction, which are necessary for calculating the force of friction.
The angle of the surface affects the force of friction by changing the normal force. As the angle increases, the normal force decreases, and therefore, the force of friction decreases. This is because the component of the weight of the object acting normal to the surface decreases with increasing angle.
The force of friction can be reduced by using lubricants or by smoothing the surfaces in contact. Lubricants create a layer between the surfaces, reducing the amount of direct contact and thus decreasing the force of friction. Smoothing the surfaces also reduces the amount of irregularities, resulting in a lower force of friction.