Question

You push your physics book 2.50 m along a horizontal tabletop with a horizontal push of 2.60 N while the opposing force of friction is 0.550 N.

a) What is the net force acting on the book?
b) What is the work done by your applied force?

Answer 1

The net force acting on the book is 2.05 N, and the work done by the applied force is 6.5 J when pushing the book 2.50 m with a horizontal force while overcoming friction.

Step-by-step explanation:

When you are pushing a book across a table with a horizontal force of 2.60 N against a frictional force of 0.550 N, we can calculate the net force acting on the book as follows:

a) Net Force: The net force is found by subtracting the frictional force from the applied force. So, the net force (Fnet) would be 2.60 N - 0.550 N, which equals 2.05 N.

b) Work Done by Applied Force: The work done (W) by a force is calculated by the equation W = force x distance. Since the applied force is 2.60 N and the book is moved over a distance of 2.50 m, the work done by the applied force is 2.60 N x 2.50 m, which amounts to 6.5 J.

Therefore, the net force acting on the book is 2.05 N, and the work done by your applied force is 6.5 J.