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Normal Reaction Formula:
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The normal reaction force is the force exerted by a surface on an object that is in contact with it, typically perpendicular to the surface. On an inclined plane, this force is a component of the object's weight that acts perpendicular to the surface.
The calculator uses the normal reaction formula:
Where:
Explanation: The equation calculates the component of the gravitational force that acts perpendicular to the inclined surface, which represents the normal reaction force.
Details: Calculating the normal reaction force is essential for understanding friction forces, determining whether an object will slide down an incline, and analyzing forces in mechanical systems with inclined surfaces.
Tips: Enter mass in kilograms and angle of inclination in degrees (0-90°). All values must be valid (mass > 0, angle between 0-90 degrees).
Q1: What is the relationship between normal reaction and friction?
A: The maximum static friction force is proportional to the normal reaction force (Ffriction = μ × Rn), where μ is the coefficient of friction.
Q2: How does normal reaction change with increasing angle?
A: As the angle of inclination increases, the normal reaction decreases because cos(θ) decreases as θ increases from 0° to 90°.
Q3: What happens to normal reaction at 90 degrees?
A: At 90 degrees (vertical surface), the normal reaction becomes zero because cos(90°) = 0.
Q4: Does normal reaction depend on the object's material?
A: No, the normal reaction depends only on the mass, gravitational acceleration, and angle of inclination, not on the material properties.
Q5: How is normal reaction different from weight?
A: Weight is the gravitational force acting downward (mg), while normal reaction is the perpendicular force exerted by the surface in response to the component of weight normal to the surface.