Question

The coefficient of static friction between teflon and scrambled eggs is about 0.04.
What is the smallest angle from the horizontal that will cause the eggs to slide across the bottom of the Teflon-coated skiller?

Answer 1

Let m be the mass of the eggs.

The coefficient of static friction between teflon and scrambled eggs is

s = 0.04

The free body diagram of the eggs slide across the Teflon-coated skiller is shown below:

From the figure, the normal force acting on the eggs is

N = mg cos

Here, acceleartion due to gravity is g.

The static friction between the Teflon and scrambled eggs is

f = s N

    = s mg cos

For the eggs to slide across the skiller,

mg sin > s mg cos

tan > s

   > tan^-1 (s)

Substitute 0.04 for s in the above equation,

> tan^-1 (s)

   > tan^-1 (0.04)

> 2.2906⁰

Rounding off to two significant figures, the smallest angle from the horizontal that will cause the eggs to slide across the bottom of the Teflon-coated skiller is 2.3⁰.