What is the magnitude of the force, F1, acting on the block that moves to the right with constant speed?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the magnitude of a force (F1) acting on a block that is moving at a constant speed to the right. According to Newton's first law, if the speed is constant, the net force acting on the object is zero. Hence, the magnitude of the force F1 can be determined based on the balance of forces acting on the block.
Answer
$$ F1 = F_{\text{opposing}} $$
Answer for screen readers
The magnitude of the force (F1) is equal to the opposing force acting on the block.
Steps to Solve
- Identify the forces acting on the block
For a block moving at constant speed, the forces acting on it must be balanced. This means that the force to the right ((F1)) has to be equal to the opposing forces acting to the left.
- Express the balance of forces mathematically
Since the net force is zero because the speed is constant, we can express this as:
$$ F1 - F_{\text{opposing}} = 0 $$
This implies:
$$ F1 = F_{\text{opposing}} $$
- Determine the value of opposing forces
To find (F1), we need to know the magnitude of the opposing forces acting on the block. For example, if there is friction or air resistance, we need to quantify that.
- Substitute the value of opposing forces (if given)
Once we have the value for (F_{\text{opposing}}), we substitute it back into the equation to solve for (F1$:
$$ F1 = F_{\text{opposing}} $$
The magnitude of the force (F1) is equal to the opposing force acting on the block.
More Information
Since the block is moving at a constant speed, the force (F1) is exactly equal to the sum of the opposing forces, a practical application of Newton's first law of motion.
Tips
- Not considering all opposing forces acting on the block such as friction or drag.
- Assuming that the net force is not zero when speed is constant.
