A mountain biker is climbing a steep 20° slope at a constant speed. The cyclist and bike have a combined weight of800 N. Referring to Figure 5.11 for guidance, what can you say about the magnitude of the normal force of the ground on the bike?

A. n> SOON B. n = 800 N C. n

Transcribed Image Text:

FIGURE 5.11 The forces on an object on an incline. (a) Analyzing forces on an incline The normal force always points perpendicular to the surface... w can be decomposed into x- and y-components. (b) Two common mistakes to avoid Wrong! The normal force is always w = w sin 0 perpendicular to the Correct. surface of contact! Correct. Wrong! The weight always When we rotate the x-axis to match the surface, the angle between w and the negative y-axis is the same as the angle of the slope. The weight force always points straight down. Wy =w.cos 0 w, is negative because w points in the negative y-direction. points straight down!