Inclined Plane

About This Experiment

Investigate how forces act on objects on inclined planes. The weight force (mg) is decomposed into components parallel and perpendicular to the incline. The parallel component (mg sin θ) provides the driving force down the plane, while the perpendicular component (mg cos θ) determines the normal force and friction.

Friction force opposes motion with magnitude f = μN = μmg cos θ. The net force determines acceleration: a = g(sin θ - μ cos θ). Observe how changing angle, mass, and friction coefficient affects the motion and whether the object will slide or remain stationary.