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Chapter 2: Problem 3

A person places a book on the roof of a car and drives off without remembering to remove it. As the book and the car move down a street at a steady speed, two horizontal forces are acting on the book. What are they?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Answer: The two horizontal forces acting on the book are the force due to friction between the book and the car's roof (F_friction) and the air resistance force (F_air) acting on the book as it moves with the car at a constant speed.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the forces acting on the book horizontally

When the car moves with a constant speed, there are two horizontal forces acting on the book: the force due to friction between the book and the car's roof and the air resistance acting on the book.
02

Analyze the force due to friction

The force of friction between the book and the car's roof keeps the book in place as the car moves. The frictional force, denoted as F_friction, acts in the same direction as the car's motion. The magnitude of this force depends on the coefficient of friction between the book and the car's roof and the normal force acting on the book due to its weight.
03

Analyze the air resistance force

As the book moves along with the car, it encounters resistance from the air, which is known as the air resistance force. This force, denoted as F_air, acts in the opposite direction of the car's motion. The magnitude of the air resistance force depends on several factors, including the relative speed of the book with respect to the air, the book's surface area, and the shape of the book.
04

Conclusion

In conclusion, the two horizontal forces acting on the book are the force due to friction between the book and the car's roof (F_friction) and the air resistance force (F_air) acting on the book as it moves with the car at a constant speed.

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