A block is at rest on a frictionless incline that makes an angle, $\theta$ , with the horizontal. The normal force on the block is proportional to
A) sin $\theta$ .
B) cos $\theta$
C) tan $\theta$
D) Hold it! This force is independent of $\theta$

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The normal force on a block on an incline is equal to the component of the gravitational force perpendicular to the surface of the incline. This component is given by $mg\cos(\theta)$, where $m$ is the mass of the block, $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity, and $\theta$ is the angle of the incline with the horizontal. Therefore, the normal force is proportional to $\cos(\theta)$.

A Block Is at Rest on a Frictionless Incline That θ\thetaθ

A Block Is at Rest on a Frictionless Incline That $\theta$