The mysterious sliding stones. Along the remote Racetrack Playa in Death Valley,

Question

The mysterious sliding stones. Along the remote Racetrack Playa in Death Valley, California, stones sometimes gouge out prominent trails in the desert floor, as if they had been migrating (see the figure). For years curiosity mounted about why the stones moved. One explanation was that strong winds during the occasional rainstorms would drag the rough stones over ground softened by rain. When the desert dried out, the trails behind the stones were hard-baked in place. According to measurements, the coefficient of kinetic friction between the stones and the wet playa ground is about 0.654. What horizontal force is needed on a stone of typical mass 20 kg to maintain the stone's motion once a gust has started it moving?

Explanation / Answer

apply KE = 0.5 mv^2 = 790

V^2 = 2* 790/5

V^2 = 316

V = 17.77 m/s

Velocity as measured from earth interial frame of referecne is

V = 17.77 - 3.5 = 14.27 m/s

here the horizontal force is needed on stone to be in motion is given by

F = uk mg

where uk is the coeffficient of kinetic friction

m is the mass of the stone

g is accleration due to gravity

so F = 0.78 * 30 * 9.8

F = 229.32 N ----------------<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<Answer
  

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