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crazy legs | 23:35 Wed 11th Oct 2006 | Science
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Starting at a height of 2m 4 people push a sled down a 20* incline, cross 5m of ice and go up a 30*incline before coming to rest 3m above the ice. All four members of your team must be in the sled when it is sliding across the ice and up the 30* incline. Before starting you do the following tests:

You discover that on average a person can stand on an incline without sliding as long as the angle is less than or equal to 40*.
You let the sled slide down the 20* incline and discover that it takes 3 seconds for it to slide to the bottom of the incline. After which the sled slides a distance of 2m across the ice before stopping.
Mass of sled = 70 kgs
Mass of person=70kgs
Is it possible to do it and if not can you prove it?
Thanks.
(N.B both inclines are snow with same coefficent of friction.)
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Are the people pushing with a force or just adding mass to the previous experiment were the sled slid 2m across the ice?
If not just add the mass of the 4 men as a component acting down the incline to gain an initial force and acceleration.
Also what is coeffficient of friction.
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People are just adding mass.But they have to push the sled to get it moving then hop in straight away.
The coefficent(mu) was worked out to be 0.223.
No it is not possible, due to the enregy loss on the flat bit. With no friction it wouldn't work cos the second incline is steeper.

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