A dedicated physics student pulls his brand new shiny red wagon along a level road such that the handle makes an angle of 50 degrees with the horizontal road. if he pulls on the handle with a force of 85N, what is the horizontal component of the force he exerts along the handle?

Question

A dedicated physics student pulls his brand new shiny red wagon along a level road such that the handle makes an angle of 50 degrees with the horizontal road. if he pulls on the handle with a force of 85N, what is the horizontal component of the force he exerts along the handle?
Why is the horizontal component more useful information than the force he exerts along the handle?

bobpursley · Answer

force horiz=85cos50 the horizontal component is the actual pulling force.