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A Comparison of Normal Forces.?
Why is it that the normal force on an object, say a 20 kg block, is stronger when the object is on a flat surface, rather than on an inclined surface?
1 Answer
- electron1Lv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
When the object is on a flat surface, the surface is supporting the entire weight of the object. So, the normal force is equal to the weight of the object.
Go to the website below to see a drawing of an object on an inclined surface.
http://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/vectors/u3l3...
The normal force is equal to the component of the weight which is perpendicular to the inclined plane.
Perpendicular component = m * g * cos θ = Normal force
m * g = Weight
Normal force = Weight * cos θ
On an inclined plane, the value of cos θ is less than 1.
So, on an inclined plane, the normal force is less than the weight of the object.
AND
If you look at the next drawing, you will that the perpendicular component of the weight is responsible for the friction force.
On an inclined plane, the component of the weight which is parallel to the inclined plane causes the object to accelerate as it moves down the inclined plane.
Parallel component = m * g * sin θ
On an inclined plane, the weight of the object is doing two jobs. The weight is causing friction and causing the object to accelerate as it moves down the inclined plane.
On an inclined plane, the normal force is the perpendicular component of weight. So the normal force is not supporting the entire weight of the object. This is the reason that the normal force on an inclined surface is less than the normal force on a flat surface.!
