Message-Id: <l03102800b0acd7123584@[153.90.236.25]>
In-Reply-To: <3.0.3.32.19971204102300.006a3000@mail.walltech.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 1997 15:04:28 -0700
To: pinhole@exploratorium.edu
From: Steven Eiger <eiger@montana.edu>
Subject: Re: vector components
>But if you're drawing a force diagram, then you would show the gravitational
>force as being just down, right?
That is a good way to start, but I believe you or someone pointed out that
there is a force from the plane pushing the object. This force is normal
to the surface of the plane. It is then convenient to break up the gravity
vector into two components, one normal to the plane which exactly
counteracts the normal force (this is good because the object does not
aceelerate in that direction), and the other at 90 degrees to it and
straight down the plane axis, that vector is not counteracted by anything
and brings about the acceleration down the plane. Eiger