Answer:
To determine the force required to pull a 2-ton steel cart at rest on a steel rail, we need to consider the force of friction acting between the cart and the rail.
1st - Level Steel Rail:
The force of friction, in this case, can be calculated using the formula:
Force of friction = coefficient of friction * normal force
Since the cart is at rest, the force of friction is equal to the force required to overcome static friction. The coefficient of static friction between steel and steel is typically around 0.6.
The normal force acting on the cart is equal to the weight of the cart. To find this, we need to convert the weight of the cart from tons to pounds and then multiply it by the acceleration due to gravity (32.2 ft/s²).
Weight of the cart = 2 tons = 2,000 lbs
Normal force = Weight of the cart * acceleration due to gravity = 2,000 lbs * 32.2 ft/s²
Now we can calculate the force of friction:
Force of friction = coefficient of friction * normal force
Force of friction = 0.6 * normal force
2nd - Inclined Steel Rail:
To calculate the force required to pull the cart on an inclined rail, we need to consider the component of the weight of the cart acting parallel to the incline. This force, known as the parallel force or the force along the incline, is the force that needs to be overcome to set the cart in motion.
The parallel force can be calculated as:
Parallel force = weight of the cart * sin(angle of inclination)
Weight of the cart = 2 tons = 2,000 lbs
Parallel force = 2,000 lbs * sin(2°)
Note: The above calculations assume that there is no external force counteracting the movement of the cart, such as air resistance or any other frictional forces not related to the cart-rail interaction
Explanation:
