How do I resolve forces on a slope?

For any question which asks you to consider multiple forces acting on a body, the first thing you should do is draw a clear diagram, with all forces (and in this case angles) labelled.Once this has been done, you can start to resolve in parallel and perpendicular directions relative to the slope. 'Resolve' means to gather all of the components of the forces acting in a particular direction together into one equation. Remember to be careful with +/- signs: the best way is to take the positive direction as the direction in which the object is moving (although it really doesn't matter!).So, if we take an object of mass ​on a slope which is inclined at A degrees to the horizontal, resolving parrallel to the plane (and by using Newton's Second Law) gives:​mgsin(A) - (Resistive forces) = ma And resolving in the perpendicular plane to the slope:​(Reaction force) = mgcos(A)The main point to remember is to draw a clear diagram - if you do this, hopefully the rest of the question will seem a lot easier!

DB
Answered by Dan B. Physics tutor

11651 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

What do you understand by simple harmonic motion?


A ball is thrown vertically downwards at a speed of 10ms^-1 from a height of 10m. Upon hitting the floor 10% of the energy is dissipated through waste heat. What is the heighest point the ball reaches before it comes to rest? Take g=10ms^-2


What is the angular speed of a car wheel of diameter 0.400m when the speed of the car is 108km/h?


In the Photoelectric effect, Why does increasing the light intensity have no effect on the energy of the electron emitted?


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning