Calculating Contact Forces Between Two Blocks Using Free Body Diagrams | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR
This video explains how to calculate the contact force exerted by each block on the other based on their masses and acceleration.
Key Insights
- 💆 The acceleration of a system can be determined by dividing the total driving force by the total mass of the objects.
- 🪐 The contact force exerted by each block on the other can be found by subtracting the net force from the applied force.
- 👮 Newton's third law of motion states that forces always occur in pairs with equal but opposite magnitudes.
- 🚫 Kinetic friction can affect the calculation of contact forces by opposing the motion of the blocks.
- 🪛 Contact forces depend on the masses of the blocks and the applied force driving the system.
- 🚫 The contact force on each block can be determined separately to ensure accurate calculations.
- 💼 The contact force can be negative in cases where the force opposes the applied force.
Transcript
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Questions & Answers
Q: What is contact force in physics?
Contact force is the force that two objects exert on each other when they are in physical contact. It can be calculated by the difference between the applied force and the net force acting on the object.
Q: Why do the two blocks have the same acceleration?
The two blocks have the same acceleration because they move together at the same rate. This is because they are connected by the contact force and experience the same external force.
Q: How does Newton's third law of motion relate to calculating contact forces?
Newton's third law states that for every action force, there is an equal but opposite reaction force. In the case of calculating contact forces, the force one block exerts on the other is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.
Q: How can we confirm the accuracy of our calculations?
To confirm the accuracy of our calculations, we can calculate the contact force on both blocks separately. If the same value is obtained for both, then we know our calculations are correct.
Summary & Key Takeaways
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The video discusses how to calculate the force exerted by each block on the other using the concept of contact force and Newton's third law of motion.
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The first step is to find the acceleration of the system by dividing the total driving force by the total mass of the blocks.
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Once the acceleration is known, the contact force on each block can be calculated by subtracting the net force acting on the block from the applied force.
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