A box is pushed on a horizontal frictionless surface. Two people are pushing to the right
on the box and one is pushing to left. The box moves with a constant acceleration of
2m/s2 to the right. One person pushing to the right pushes with a force of 25 N. The one
pushing to the left pushes with a force of 70N. The mass of the box is 35 kg. Assume all
pushes are horizontal.
1) Make the system schema for this situation.
2) What object do think we are most interested in?
3) Make a force diagram for that object.
4) Using your force diagram write Newton’s second law for the object.
5) Determine what you can solve for and do it.
Now only one person is pushing the box. This person is pushing to the right with a force
of 65 N. However, there is now friction. The coefficient of friction in this case is 0.1
(k). Find everything you can. Hint: use the ideas from this worksheet, Albert’s
worksheet and the others we have done.