An object with a mass of # 16 kg# is lying still on a surface and is compressing a horizontal spring by #2/3 m#. 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
Apr 24, 2017

The coefficient of static friction is #=0.02#

Explanation:

The force of friction is

#F_r=k*Deltax#

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

The distance is #Deltax=2/3m#

Therefore,

#F_r=4*2/3=8/3N#

The coefficient of static friction is

#mu_s=F_r/N#

The normal force is #N=mg=(16g) N#

So,

#mu_s=(8/3)/(16g)=0.02#