Question

Apply a force to the crate by pushing on it, then stop pushing once it starts to move.

Describe how the speed of the crate changes once it is no longer being pushed by the person when friction is present.

Answer 1

When the person stops pushing the crate, the forces acting on it change. At that point, the only force acting on the crate is the force of friction between the crate and the ground, which opposes the direction of motion. This force will cause the speed of the crate to decrease over time as the crate comes to a stop. The rate of deceleration will depend on the strength of the frictional force and the mass of the crate. Therefore, as the crate moves on the ground, the friction force slows it down until it eventually comes to a stop.