particle accelerating: A wedge of mass m is placed on a rough horizontal table....

[markosheehan]

im stuck on question 8. the equation i got for the wedge is .6R -.5S=ma r stands for relative force of the particle s stands for relative force of the wedge . i got the equation 4mg-R=5m(.6a) for the particle where a stands for acceleration of the wedge. does anyone know where to go from here. are my equations wrong?

 

[stapel]

im stuck on question 8.

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8. A wedge of mass m is placed on a rough horizontal table. The coefficient of friction between the wedge and the table is 1/2. A particle of mass 5m is placed at rest on the plane face of the wedge, which is inclined at an angle tan^-1(3/4) to the horizontal.
(i) Prove that the acceleration of the wedge is (3/16)g, while the acceleration of the particle relative to the wedge is (3/4)g.
(ii) How far down the wedge will the particle travel in the time that it takes the wedge to travel 1 metre?

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the equation i got for the wedge is .6R -.5S=ma r stands for relative force of the particle s stands for relative force of the wedge . i got the equation 4mg-R=5m(.6a) for the particle where a stands for acceleration of the wedge. does anyone know where to go from here. are my equations wrong?

How did you obtain your equations? By what steps and logic? (And in what subject did this exercise arise?) Does "a" stand for "acceleration"? You defined "s", but for what does "S" stand? (Or is "S" a typo for "s"?)

Also, is there a graphic that goes with this exercise, which explains how (and why) the wedge, resting on an horizontal surface, is going to move?

Please be complete. Thank you!