Solving problems which involve forces, friction, and Newton's Laws: A step-by-step guide

This step-by-step guide is meant to show you how to approach problems where you have to deal with moving objects subject to friction and other forces, and you need to apply Newton's Laws. We will go through many problems, so you can have a clear idea of the process involved in solving them.

The problems we will examine include objects that

• are pushed/pulled horizontally with an angle
• move up or down an incline
• hang from ropes attached to the ceiling
• hang from ropes that run over pulleys
• move connected by a string
• are pushed in contact with each other (Coming soon!)

Problems

1. Box pulled at an angle over a horizontal surface
2. Block pushed over the floor with a downward and forward force
3. Object moving at constant velocity over a horizontal surface
4. Block pushed up a frictionless ramp
5. Mass pulled up an incline with friction
6. A mass hanging from two ropes
7. Two hanging objects connected by a rope
8. Two masses on a pulley
9. Two blocks connected by a string are pulled horizontally