PhysicsLAB: 2006 C1

A small block of mass M_B = 0.50 kg is placed on a long slab of mass M_S = 3.0 kg as shown below.

Initially, the slab is at rest and the block has a speed v of 4.0 m/sec to the right. The coefficient of kinetic friction between the block and the slab is µ = 0.20, and there is no friction between the slab and the horizontal surface on which it moves.

	(a) On the dots below that represent the block and the slab, draw and label vectors to represent the forces acting on each as the block slides on the slab.

At some moment later, before the block reaches the right end of the slab, both the block and the slab attain identical speeds v_f.

	(b) Calculate v_f.

	(c) Calculate the distance the slab has traveled at the moment it reaches v_f.

	(d) Calculate the work done by friction on the slab from the beginning of its motion until it reaches v_f.