A 0.18 kg ball is placed in a shallow wedge with an opening angle of 110° For each contact point between the wedge and the ball, determine the force exerted on the ball. Assume the system is frictionless.

Answer 1

I will assume that the axis of the wedge is vertically upward. The force on the ball at each contact point is directed toward the center of the sphere at each contact point, because there is no friction. The contact force angle is inclined (180-110)/2 = 35 degrees to the horizontal. A vertical force balance tells you that the two contact forces F are equal in magnitude (due to symmetry) and that
2F sin35 = 2F cos55 = M g