Chapter 6, Problem 30P

A toy chest and its contents have a combined weight of 180 N. The coefficient of static friction between toy chest and floor is 0.42. The child in Fig. 6-35 attempts to move the chest across the floor by pulling on an attached rope. (a) If θ is 42°, what is the magnitude of the force $\stackrel{\to }{F}$ that the child must exert on the rope to put the chest on the verge of moving? (b) Write an expression for the magnitude F required to put the chest on the verge of moving as a function of the angle θ. Determine (c) the value of θ for which F is a minimum and (d) that minimum magnitude.

Figure 6-35 Problem 30.