Answer #151

The answer is (c): about 16 Newtons, as seen in an mpeg video by clicking your mouse on the photograph below.

According to the "laws of friction," the frictional force between two surfaces is proportional to the normal force. When the normal force doubles (two blocks rather than one) the frictional force doubles, as it does here reasonably accurately.

The next Question of the Week also deals with friction.


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