Chapter 5, Problem 72PP

Friction and climbing shoes. Shoes for the sports of bouldering and rock climbing are designed to provide a great deal of friction between the foot and the surface of the ground. On smooth rock these shoes might have a coefficient of static friction of 1.2 and a coefficient of kinetic friction of 0.90.

72. If the person steps onto a smooth rock surface that’s inclined at an angle large enough that these shoes begin to slip, what will happen?

1. A.    She will slide a short distance and stop.
2. B.     She will accelerate down the surface.
3. C.     She will slide down the surface at constant speed.
4. D.    We can't tell without knowing her mass.