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Chapter 5: Problem 2

The force of static friction acts only between surfaces at rest. Yet that force is essential in walking and in accelerating or braking a car. Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified
Static friction helps us move by providing the necessary resistance to our forces. In walking, it prevents our feet from slipping by applying a force opposite to our foot's direction. In driving, static friction between the tires and road surface allows changes in wheel speed to translate into vehicle movement or stopping.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Static Friction

Firstly, you need to comprehend what static friction really is. It refers to the force that keeps an object at rest. When one object is attempting to move while the other object resists, static friction comes into play. It acts on surfaces that are in contact and not in motion relative to each other.
02

Role of Static Friction in Walking

For walking, when your foot is placed on the ground and starts to push backwards, it's static friction that prevents your foot from sliding backwards. As one foot applies a backward force on the ground, static friction applies an equal forward force on your foot, causing your body to move forwards.
03

Static Friction in Vehicle Movement

In case of a vehicle, when wheels turn, they push backward against the road surface. In response, static friction forces the tire and thus the whole car, to move forward. The force of static friction provides cars with the grip to accelerate and brake. When you press the gas or brake pedal, your wheels either start to rotate faster or slower; the static friction between the tires and the road allows these changes in wheel speed to translate into vehicle movement or halting.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

A jet plane flies at constant speed in a vertical circular loop. At what point in the loop does the seat exert the greatest force on the pilot? The least force?

Find an expression for the minimum frictional coefficient needed to keep a car with speed \(v\) on a banked turn of radius \(R\) designed for speed \(v_{0}\)

Compare the net force on a heavy trunk when it's (a) at rest on the floor; (b) being slid across the floor at constant speed; (c) being pulled upward in an elevator whose cable tension equals the combined weight of the elevator and trunk; and (d) sliding down a frictionless ramp.

A block is launched with speed \(v_{0}\) up a slope making an angle \(\theta\) with the horizontal; the coefficient of kinetic friction is \(\mu_{\mathrm{k}}\) (a) Find an expression for the distance \(d\) the block travels along the slope. (b) Use calculus to determine the angle that minimizes \(d\).

A 2.1 -kg mass is connected to a spring with spring constant \(k=150 \mathrm{N} / \mathrm{m}\) and unstretched length \(18 \mathrm{cm} .\) The two are mounted on a frictionless air table, with the free end of the spring attached to a frictionless pivot. The mass is set into circular motion at \(1.4 \mathrm{m} / \mathrm{s}\). Find the radius of its path.
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