Question

An object of mass m slides down an incline with angle. Which equation allows you to correctly calculate the normal force on the object?

Answer 1

FN - mg cos(0) = 0

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

`N=mg cos \theta`

Step-by-step explanation:

The normal force acting on an object is the force exerted by the surface on which the object lies on the object itself. Its direction is always perpendicular to the surface, while the magnitude of the normal force is equal to the force that the object applies on the surface perpendicular to it.

In the case of an object of mass sliding down, the normal force (N) is equal to the component of the weight of the object perpendicular to the surface of the incline,
`W_(perp)`:

`N=W_(perp)`

By using trigonometry, the component of the weight perpendicular to the surface of the incline is:

`W_(perp)=mg cos \theta`

where m is the mass of the object, g is the acceleration due to gravity and
`\theta` is the angle of the ramp. Therefore, the normal force is:

`N=mg cos \theta`