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Grade 12Mechanics

On a smooth inclined plane, making an angle a with horizontal, a trolley containing a liquid of density p slides down. What is the angle of inclination 0 of free surface with horizontal ?

Profile image of sangram patra
15 Years agoGrade 12
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1 Answer

Profile image of Chetan Mandayam Nayakar
15 Years ago

the trolley is a non-inertial reference frame. the vertical component of acceleration of liquid in it is gcos2(alpha), and the horizontal component is gsin(alpha)cos(alpha). the resultant makes an angle (pi/2)-(alpha) with the horizontal. the free surface is perpendicular to the resultant. so the answer is: alpha is the angle