Friction · Interactive

Inclined Plane with Friction

Place a block on a ramp and see whether it slides — every force resolved into along-slope and normal components. Gravity is split into mg·sinθ pulling down the slope and mg·cosθ pressing into it, while friction can only ever match mg·sinθ up to its limit μN.

Weight mg Normal N Friction f Applied F Gravity resolved along & ⊥ to the slope

Setup

Incline angle θ 25 °
Mass m 4.0 kg
Friction μ 0.40
Push up-slope F 0 N
Static — holds
Repose angle = 21.8°
16.6
mg·sinθ (N)
35.5
mg·cosθ (N)
14.2
max μN (N)
0.00
a (m/s²)
slides if mg sinθ > μmg cosθ a = g(sinθ − μcosθ) repose = tan⁻¹μ

Playback

Try this: raise θ slowly with F = 0 until it just slips — that's the angle of repose, tan⁻¹μ. Then add an up-slope push F to hold the block on a steeper ramp, or overpower gravity and drive it up.