While hauling a log in the back of a flatbed truck, you are pulled over by the s

Question

While hauling a log in the back of a flatbed truck, you are pulled over by the state police. Although the log can't roll sideways, the police claim that the log could have slid out the back of the truck when accelerating from rest. You claim that the truck couldn't possibly accelerate at the level needed to achieve such an effect. Regardless, the police write a ticket anyway and now your day in court is approaching.

1)The log has a mass of m = 844 kg; the truck has a mass of M = 9750 kg. According to the truck manufacturer, the truck can accelerate from 0 to 55 mph in 26.0 seconds, but this does not account for the additional mass of the log. Calculate the minimum coefficient of static friction ?s needed to keep the log in the back of the truck.

2)According to the scientific literature, the coefficient of static friction between the log and the trailer bed should be roughly 0.840. Given this fact, answer the following.

a)There is little chance the log could have slid out the back.

b)The police officer is correct. The log posed a real danger.

c)The results are not conclusive.

Explanation / Answer

1)the minimum coefficient of static friction is

u_s = (m/M)

2)If u_s is less than 0.840 then there is little chance the log could have slid out the back.

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