Question
The following free-body diagram represents a toboggan on a hill. What acceleration would you expect, and why?
  1. Acceleration down the hill; the force due to being pushed, together with the downhill component of gravity, overcomes the opposing force of friction.
  2. Acceleration down the hill; friction is less than the opposing component of force due to gravity.
  3. No movement; friction is greater than the force due to being pushed.
  4. It depends on how strong the force due to friction is.
<b>Figure 4.44</b> A free body diagram for a toboggan going down a hill.
Figure 4.44 A free body diagram for a toboggan going down a hill.
Question by OpenStax is licensed under CC BY 4.0
Final Answer

(a)

Solution video

OpenStax College Physics for AP® Courses, Chapter 4, Problem 20 (Test Prep for AP® Courses)

OpenStax College Physics, Chapter 4, Problem 20 (AP) video thumbnail

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Video Transcript
This is College Physics Answers with Shaun Dychko. This force represents friction going up the hill opposing the velocity of the toboggan. Here's the normal force exerted by the hill and gravity is straight down, and a component of that gravity is along the slope. This component here combined with this push force, these two together will be added and they will look like they exceed the friction. We expect the answer to be A to this question, the acceleration down the hill.