Enter the mass of the object and the angle of the plane into the calculator to determine the incline plane forces.

Incline Plane Force Formula

The following equation is used to calculate the Incline Plane Force.

F|| = m*g*sin(a) 
F+ = m*g*cos (a)
  • Where F|| is the force parallel to the plane (N)
  • F+ is the force perpendicular to the plane (N)
  • m is the mass of the object (kg)
  • g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.81 m/s^2)
  • a is the angle of the incline (degrees)

To calculate the plane force, multiply the mass by the acceleration due to gravity, then multiply by the sine of the angle.

What is a Incline Plane Force?

Definition:

The forces acting on body on an incline plane are typically the force of gravity and the force of friction. The force of friction always acts parallel to the incline and the force of gravity has two components of force. One acting parallel to the plane and one acting perpendicular to the plane.

How to Calculate Incline Plane Force?

Example Problem:

The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate the Incline Plane Force.

First, determine the mass of the object. In this example, the object weighs 40 kg.

Next, determine the angle of the plane. The plane has an angle of 35 degrees when measured from the x-axis.

Finally, calculate the incline plane forces using the formula above:

F|| = m*g*cos (a)

F+ = m*g*sin (a)

F|| = 40*9.81*sin (35deg) = 225.07 N

F+ = 40*9.81*cos (35deg) = 321.43 N