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What is the net force acting on a book at rest?

When a book is at rest on a table, it means that it is not moving or accelerating. This means that the net force acting on the book must be zero. The net force is the vector sum of all the forces acting on an object. For a book at rest, the forces acting on it must balance out so that the net force is zero.

Forces Acting on a Book at Rest

There are several forces that could be acting on a book sitting at rest on a table:

  • Weight (gravitational force)
  • Normal force from the table
  • Frictional force from the table
  • Tension in the binding of the book
  • Air resistance/drag force

Let’s examine each of these forces in more detail:

Weight

The weight of the book acts downward towards the center of the Earth. It is equal to the mass of the book multiplied by the acceleration due to gravity (W = mg). The weight pulls the book down into the table.

Normal Force

Since the book is at rest and not accelerating downward into the table, the table must be pushing up on the book with an equal and opposite force. This upward force exerted by the table on the book is called the normal force. The normal force balances the downward gravitational force.

Frictional Force

Static friction acts between the book and the table surface where they are in contact. This frictional force arises from the microscopic interactions between atoms in the two surfaces. Static friction prevents the book from starting to slide along the table. It acts in the direction parallel to the surface to oppose any impending motion.

Tension in Binding

The binding of the book exerts inward forces that hold the pages together. This binding tension acts perpendicular to the plane of each page. These forces are relatively small compared to the other major forces unless the book is open flat.

Air Resistance

Air resistance or drag acts on any object moving through air. But since the book is at rest, there is no air resistance force. Air resistance would come into play if the book was falling through air but not when it is stationary on the table.

Newton’s Laws and Net Force

Newton’s first law states that an object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by a net external force. Since the book is at rest on the table, according to Newton’s first law, the net force must be zero.

This means the vector sum of all the forces (weight, normal, friction, tension, etc.) must add to zero net force:

The net force is the vector sum of the individual forces:

Net force = Weight + Normal + Friction + Tension + Air Resistance

For a book at rest:

Net Force = 0 N

This is a requirement for the book to remain at rest on the table.

Balanced and Unbalanced Forces

The forces on the stationary book are balanced since the net force is zero. Balanced forces on an object at rest keep it stationary. Unbalanced forces would cause the book to accelerate according to Newton’s second law:

Net Force = Mass x Acceleration

Since the book has zero net force, the acceleration is zero and it remains at rest on the table.

Examples of Unbalanced Forces

Some examples of unbalanced forces that would cause the book to accelerate are:

  • Someone pushes the book with a force across the table
  • The table suddenly disappears leaving only the downward gravitational force
  • A string is attached to the book and pulls it with a horizontal force

In all these cases, the forces become unbalanced and the book accelerates as described by Newton’s second law. It is the balanced forces in the resting state that maintain zero net force on the book.

Relative Magnitudes of Forces on a Book

We can look at the approximate relative magnitudes of some of the forces acting on the stationary book:

Force Relative Magnitude
Gravitational Weight Large
Normal Force Large (same as weight)
Friction Force Small to Medium
Binding Tension Very Small

The table shows that the weight and normal force are the largest forces, while binding tension is usually the smallest force. The friction force can vary depending on the coefficients of friction between the book and table.

Free Body Diagrams

Free body diagrams allow us to visualize the forces acting on an object. Here are some examples of free body diagrams for a book in different situations:

Book at Rest on Table

This shows the book at rest with the four main forces – weight, normal force, friction force, and binding tension.

Book Sliding on Table

In this case, the static friction is exceeded by an external force F pushing the book. The kinetic friction fk opposes the motion of the sliding book.

Book Falling Downward

Here the book is in free fall with only its weight and air resistance affecting it. The normal and friction forces are gone since there is no contact with the table.

Component Analysis of Forces

We can analyze the horizontal and vertical components of the forces acting on the book separately using component analysis:

Vertical Forces

Vertically, the forces are:

  • Downward gravitational weight W
  • Upward normal force from table N

Since the book is at rest, the vertical components must balance:

ΣFy = 0 = W – N

Therefore:

N = W

The normal force equals the weight of the book in the vertical direction.

Horizontal Forces

Horizontally, the main forces are:

  • Friction force f opposing impending motion
  • Binding tension T inward to bind pages

Again, since the book is stationary, the horizontal components must add to zero:

ΣFx = 0 = -f + T

Therefore:

f = T

The friction force equals the binding tension in the horizontal direction.

Conclusion

For a book at rest on a table, the net force is zero. The main forces acting include the downward gravitational weight, upward normal force from the table, static friction force parallel to the table surface, and a small binding tension force.

These forces are balanced so that the vector sum or net force is zero. This enables the book to remain at rest on the table as described by Newton’s first law of motion. If any unbalanced force were applied, the book would accelerate based on the net force and its mass.

Analyzing the vertical and horizontal components reveals that the normal force balances the weight vertically, while friction balances binding tension horizontally for a stationary book. Free body diagrams help visualize all the forces acting on the book in various situations.

In summary, a book at rest has zero net force due to the equal magnitude and opposite direction of the forces acting on it. This equilibrium of forces maintains the stationary condition of the book on the table.

Questions and Answers on Net Force on a Book

Here are some common questions and answers about the net force on a book at rest:

Why is the net force on a resting book zero?

According to Newton’s first law, an object at rest remains at rest unless acted upon by a net external force. For the book to remain stationary, the vector sum of all forces must equal zero. So a resting book has zero net force.

What force balances the weight of the book?

The normal force exerted upward by the table balances the downward gravitational weight. The normal force has equal magnitude to the weight force but opposite direction.

What provides the normal force on the book?

The normal force arises from the table surface. At the microscopic level, electrons in the atoms of the table exert repulsive forces against electrons in the book, keeping the book aloft.

How does friction enable the book to stay at rest?

Friction acts parallel to the table surface. Static friction prevents the book from starting to slide across the table. It balances any other horizontal forces and enables the book to remain stationary.

What happens when you lift the book vertically?

As you lift the book slowly and vertically, both the normal and friction forces decrease to zero. Only the upward lifting force and downward weight act on the book.

Can a horizontal force be exerted on a resting book?

Yes, as long as static friction adjusts to equal and oppose that horizontal force, the book will remain at rest. Friction increases to maintain equilibrium.

What force accelerates a book when it starts sliding?

Kinetic friction comes into play once static friction is exceeded and the book begins to slide. The unbalanced external force that overcomes static friction will cause the book to accelerate.

Real World Applications

Understanding the concept of forces in equilibrium acting on objects at rest helps explain many everyday phenomena:

  • Why objects don’t fall through tables
  • How to angle a roof properly so snow doesn’t slide off
  • Techniques for perfectly balancing a scale
  • Why tow trucks can lift a stationary car by overcoming friction
  • How to prop up a leaning structure by adjusting forces

Other examples include designing footings for bridges, modeling forces on dams, determining the strength of fasteners and joints needed to secure objects, and calculating the horizontal forces needed to set a car in motion.

Experimental Methods

The forces acting on a book at rest can be quantified experimentally using force sensors and measurement techniques:

  • Place book on a digital scale to measure normal force equal to weight
  • Lift book vertically using force probe to determine weight
  • Attach horizontal force gauge and slowly pull to measure static friction force
  • Tilt platform until book starts sliding to find coefficient of friction

This data allows detailed force diagrams to be constructed. The setup can also confirm how unbalanced forces make the book accelerate. Other experiments could evaluate forces at the molecular level between the book and table.

Sample Friction Force Experimental Data

Applied Horizontal Force Acceleration
1.5 N 0 m/s2
3.0 N 0 m/s2
4.5 N 2.0 m/s2

This table shows experimental data for increasing horizontal force applied to a book at rest. The book only begins to accelerate once static friction is exceeded at 4.5 N of applied force.

Forces on Other Stationary Objects

The concepts covered here for a book at rest apply similarly to any object at rest on a horizontal surface, such as:

  • A pen on a desk
  • A drinking glass on a countertop
  • A laptop on a table
  • A sack of groceries on the floor

The same forces come into play – namely weight, normal force, static friction, with zero net force. The same formulas can model the forces on the object.

For objects at rest on an inclined plane like a book on a sloping table, the force analysis gets slightly more complex. The normal force will be less than the full weight and the friction force adjusts to keep the object stationary.

Forces in Equilibrium Summary

The key points about forces in equilibrium on a book at rest are:

  • Gravitational weight acts downward
  • Normal force from the table counters weight
  • Friction force arises from atomic interactions
  • Binding tension is usually negligible
  • Vector sum of forces is zero
  • Removes any acceleration
  • Explains everyday phenomena
  • Can be measured experimentally

Understanding the underlying physics allows accurate models, designs, and predictions for real world applications. Careful analysis of forces explains how equilibrium enables a book to remain at rest on a surface.