An object with a mass of # 5 kg# is lying on a surface and is compressing a horizontal spring by #20 cm#. If the spring's constant is # 4 (kg)/s^2#, what is the minimum value of the surface's coefficient of static friction?

1 Answer
Jun 15, 2017

The coefficient of static friction is #=0.016#

Explanation:

The coefficient of static friction is

#mu_s=F_r/N#

#F_r=k*x#

The spring constant is #k=4kgs^-2#

The compression is #x=0.2m#

Therefore,

#F_r=4*0.2=0.8N#

The normal force is

#N=mg=5gN#

The coefficient of static friction is

#mu_s=(0.8)/(5g)=0.016#