Imagine a scenario in which an animals force is pushing itself forward 5 N, friction is pushing it 4 N backward, gravity is pushing the animal 10 N down, and the animal is pushing itself 10 N up. Describe the movement of the animal?

Answer 1

To analyze the scenario, let's break down the forces acting on the animal:

1. Forward force: The animal is pushing itself forward with a force of 5 N.
2. Frictional force: There is a frictional force acting backward on the animal, which is 4 N.
3. Gravitational force: The weight of the animal, due to gravity, is acting downwards at 10 N.
4. Upward force: The animal is also exerting a force of 10 N upward, likely as a result of its legs pushing against the ground.

Analyzing the Forces:

• Net Forward Force:

  • The net forward force can be calculated as the difference between the forward force and the frictional force: \[ \text{Net Forward Force} = 5 , \text{N} - 4 , \text{N} = 1 , \text{N} \]
  • This means the animal has a net force of 1 N pushing it forward.

• Vertical Forces:

  • The upward force provided by the animal (10 N) exactly balances the downward gravitational force (10 N): \[ \text{Net Vertical Force} = 10 , \text{N} - 10 , \text{N} = 0 , \text{N} \]
  • This indicates that the animal is not gaining or losing height—it remains grounded.

Overall Movement:

• Given that there is a net forward force of 1 N and no vertical acceleration, the animal is moving forward with a low, constant acceleration. The net force indicates that it will continue to move forward, albeit at a potentially slow rate due to the relatively small net force.

In conclusion, the animal is moving forward (in the direction of the force) with a small acceleration, while remaining at a constant height (not moving up or down).