Acceleration Of Block Against Friction

Acceleration Of Block Against Friction

Vishal kumarUpdated on 02 Jul 2025, 05:43 PM IST

Imagine you are pushing a heavy box across the carpeted floor. The more force or effort in pushing that you put on the box, the more resistance it seems to give you against the movement. This is the force of friction, which opposes the motion of two or more materials involved with contact.

This Story also Contains

  1. Acceleration Of Block Against Friction
  2. Solved Example Based on Acceleration Of Block Against Friction
  3. Summary
Acceleration Of Block Against Friction
acceleration_of_block_againt_friction

In this article, we will cover the concept of acceleration of block against friction. This concept falls under the broader category of the Law of motion which is a crucial chapter in Class 11 physics. It is not only essential for board exams but also for competitive exams like the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main), National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), and other entrance exams such as SRMJEE, BITSAT, WBJEE, BCECE and more. Over the last ten years of the JEE Main exam (from 2013 to 2023), a total of fourteen questions have been asked on this concept. And for NEET three questions were asked from this concept.

Acceleration Of Block Against Friction

There are mainly three cases of acceleration of a block on a horizontal surface. Let's start one by one.

Case 1: Acceleration of a Block on a Horizontal Surface

When the body is moving under the application of force P, then kinetic friction opposes its motion.

Let a be the net acceleration of the body.

From the figure,

P−fk=maa=P−fkm

Case 2: Acceleration of a Block Sliding Down Over a Rough Inclined Plane

When the angle of the inclined plane is more than the angle of repose, the body placed on the inclined plane slides down with an acceleration a.

From the figure,

ma=mgsin⁡θ−fkma=mgsin⁡θ−μRma=mgsin⁡θ−μmgcos⁡θa=g[sin⁡θ−μcos⁡θ] For μ=0∴a=gsin⁡θ

Case 3: Retardation of a Block Sliding up Over a Rough Inclined Plane

When the angle of the inclined plane is less than the angle of repose, then for the upward motion (with some initial velocity)

ma=mgsin⁡θ+fkma=mgsin⁡θ+μmgcos⁡θma=g[sin⁡θ+μcos⁡θ]a=g[sin⁡θ+μcos⁡θ] For μ=0a=gsin⁡θ

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Solved Example Based on Acceleration Of Block Against Friction

Example 1: In the given diagram if the force of 160 N is applied then what is the acceleration (in m/s2) of the block?

1) 4

2) 0

3) 6

4) 8

Solution:

Acceleration of Block on a horizontal surface -

ma=P−FKa=P−FKma= acceleration FK= kinetic friction - wherein

This is the case of acceleration against friction
fL=μsN⇒0.6∗200=120N N=mg=20×10=200 N
f>fL hence, the body will move

Kinetic friction fk will act on the body in the opposite direction.
∑f=ma160−80=20×aa=8020=4 m/s2

Example 2: A cylindrical vessel filled with water is released on an inclined surface of angle θ as shown in the figure. The friction coefficient of the surface with the vessel is μ(<tan⁡θ). Then the constant angle made by the surface of the water with the incline will be:

1) tan−1⁡μ 2) θ−tan−1⁡μ 3) θ+tan−1⁡μ 4) cot−1⁡μ

Solution:

Acceleration of Block sliding down over rough inclined plane -

ma=mgsin⁡θ−Fma=mgsin⁡θ−μRma=mgsin⁡θ−μmgcos⁡θa=[sin⁡θ−μcos⁡θ]

So using the above concept, below is the figure which shows forces acting on a 'particle' on the surface, with respect to the vessel.

(mgsin⁡θ and μmgcos⁡θ are pseudo forces)
tan⁡ϕ=μ∴ϕ=tan−1⁡μ

$\phi$ is the angle between the normal to the inclined surface and the resultant force. The same angle will be formed between the surface of the water & the inclined surface.

Example 3: A body of mass 2 kg slides down with an acceleration of 3 m/s2 on a rough inclined plane having a slope of 30∘. With what force along the plane(in N ), the block should be pulled to take the same body up the plane with the same acceleration: (g=10 m/s2)

1) 20

2) 14

3) 6

4) 4

Solution:

Given-

mass of the block, m=2kg

Accelerations of block in both cases, a=3m/s2

The angle of inclination, θ=30∘

Case -1: block sliding down-

From the figure,

ma=mgsin⁡θ−fkma=mgsin⁡θ−μRR=mgcos⁡θma=mgsin⁡θ−μmgcos⁡θa=g[sin⁡θ−μcos⁡θ]
substituting values-
3=10×(12−3μ2)μ=253

Case- 2: motion up the incline

Let us assume the block is pulled by applying force F as shown in the figure.

R=mgcos⁡θfk=μRF−fk−mgsin⁡θ=maF=fk+mgsin⁡θ+ma

Substituting the values-
F=253×20×32+20×12+2×3 F=20 N

Example 4:A block of mass 20 kg is kept on a rough horizontal surface. It is being pulled by applying 160N force horizontally as shown in the figure. The coefficient of static and kinetic friction between the block and surface respectively are 0.6 and 0.4. The acceleration (in m/s2) of the block is-(g=10m/s2)

1)4

2)8

3)2

4)1

Solution:

Given-

mass of the block, m=20 kg
Coefficients of friction, μs=0.6μk=0.4

Let the friction force acting on the block be f and acceleration be a.

F.B.D of the block-

For vertical equilibrium-

N=mg=200 N

Limiting friction-
fl=μsN=0.6×200=120 N

As ff(120)<F(160),
The block will begin to move and kinetic friction will act upon the block
f=fk=μkN=0.4×200=80 N

From F.B.D, along horizontal direction-
160−f=ma160−80=20a⇒a=4 m/s2

Example 5: A block of mass 40 kg slides over a surface, when a mass of 4 kg is suspended through an inextensible massless string passing over frictionless pulley as shown below. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the surface and block is 0.02 . The acceleration of block is. (Given g=10 ms−2.)

1) 1 ms−2
2) 1/5 ms−2
3) 4/5 ms−2
4) 8/11 ms−2

Solution:

flim=μN=0.02×400=8 Na=40−840+4=3244=811 m/s2

Summary

The acceleration of a block against friction involves calculating how much the block speeds up or slows down due to the opposing force of friction. This requires understanding the balance between the applied force and the frictional force, which resists motion. The net force determines the block's acceleration according to Newton's second law.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How does the concept of 'static indeterminacy' apply to problems involving block acceleration against friction?
A:
Static indeterminacy occurs in situations where the equations of static equilibrium are insufficient to determine all unknown forces, including friction. This can happen in systems with multiple blocks or complex geometries. In such cases, additional information or assumptions about the frictional behavior at different interfaces may be needed to solve for the acceleration of the blocks.
Q: What is the role of friction in determining the 'stopping distance' of a block with initial velocity?
A:
Friction plays a crucial role in determining the stopping distance of a block. The frictional force provides the negative acceleration necessary to bring the block to a stop. The stopping distance depends on the initial velocity of the block, its mass, and the coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the surface. A higher coefficient of friction results in a shorter stopping distance for a given initial velocity.
Q: How does the presence of friction affect the principle of conservation of linear momentum for an accelerating block?
A:
Friction is an internal force within the system of the block and the surface, so it doesn't affect the conservation of linear momentum of this system as a whole. However, if we consider the block alone, friction acts as an external force, changing its momentum over time. This change in the block's momentum is balanced by an equal and opposite change in the momentum of the surface and Earth.
Q: What is the significance of the 'friction circle' concept in two-dimensional block acceleration problems?
A:
The friction circle is a graphical tool used in two-dimensional friction problems. It represents the maximum possible friction force in any direction for a given normal force. The radius of the circle is equal to the product of the coefficient of friction and the normal force. This concept is useful in determining whether a block will slip or remain stationary when forces are applied in multiple directions.
Q: How does the concept of 'coefficient of friction' differ from 'angle of friction' in block acceleration problems?
A:
The coefficient of friction (μ) is a dimensionless quantity representing the ratio of the frictional force to the normal force. The angle of friction (φ) is the angle whose tangent equals the coefficient of friction (tan φ = μ). While the coefficient of friction is more commonly used in calculations, the angle of friction can be useful in visualizing the relationship between normal and frictional forces, especially in inclined plane problems.
Q: How does the distribution of mass within a block affect its acceleration against friction?
A:
The distribution of mass within a block doesn't directly affect its translational acceleration against friction. However, it can influence the block's rotational motion if the applied force doesn't act through the center of mass. This could lead to a combination of translational and rotational acceleration, potentially affecting the overall motion of the block.
Q: What is the effect of applying a time-varying force on a block's acceleration against friction?
A:
When a time-varying force is applied to a block moving against friction, its acceleration also varies with time. The instantaneous acceleration at any moment depends on the net force (applied force minus friction) at that instant. This can result in complex motion patterns, potentially including periods of acceleration, deceleration, and constant velocity.
Q: How does the presence of friction affect the conservation of mechanical energy for an accelerating block?
A:
Friction causes a loss of mechanical energy in the system. As a block accelerates against friction, some of the work done by the applied force is converted into heat due to friction, rather than into kinetic energy of the block. This means that mechanical energy is not conserved in the presence of friction, unlike in ideal, frictionless scenarios.
Q: How does the concept of 'stick-slip' motion relate to block acceleration against friction?
A:
Stick-slip motion occurs when the static friction between a block and surface is significantly higher than the kinetic friction. The block 'sticks' until the applied force overcomes static friction, then 'slips' as it accelerates under kinetic friction. This can lead to jerky, intermittent acceleration rather than smooth, continuous motion.
Q: What is the effect of friction on the momentum of an accelerating block?
A:
Friction affects the rate of change of momentum of an accelerating block. The frictional force opposes the change in momentum caused by the applied force. This results in a slower increase in momentum compared to a frictionless scenario. If friction is the only force acting on a moving block, it will cause a decrease in the block's momentum over time.