Enter the mass of the object and the angle of the plane into the calculator to determine the force component parallel to the incline (or enter any 2 values to solve for the missing variable).
- All Physics Calculators
- All Force Calculators
- Horizontal + Vertical Force Calculator
- Magnitude of Force Calculator
- Reaction Force Calculator
- Contact Force Calculator
Incline Plane Force Formula
The following equation is used to calculate the Incline Plane Force.
F_{\parallel} = m \cdot g \cdot \sin(a)F_{\perp} = m \cdot g \cdot \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 force component parallel to the plane, multiply the mass by the acceleration due to gravity, then multiply by the sine of the angle.
What is an Incline Plane Force?
Definition:
The forces acting on a body on an inclined plane typically include gravity (weight) acting vertically downward, the normal force from the surface acting perpendicular to the plane, and (if the surfaces are rough) friction acting along the plane opposite the direction of motion (or impending motion). The weight can be resolved into two components: one parallel to the plane and one 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 has a mass of 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*sin (a)
F⊥ = m*g*cos (a)
F|| = 40*9.81*sin (35deg) = 225.07 N
F⊥ = 40*9.81*cos (35deg) = 321.43 N
