this post was submitted on 11 Dec 2023
288 points (100.0% liked)
196
16459 readers
2108 users here now
Be sure to follow the rule before you head out.
Rule: You must post before you leave.
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I am a complete idiot and I would also like to know.
The truck will be attracted forward towards the magnet, but the magnet will also be attracted backward towards the truck with equal force. The backward force will be transfered through the arm holding the magnet and the net force on the whole system will be 0. If there was no arm holding the truck and the magnet apart, the truck could move forward slightly and the magnet could move backward to meet it. (The magnet would move much more than the truck since they would still have equal force applying to them, and the truck's mass is much higher than the magnet's.)
And then to continue moving this way you'd have to unstick and move away the magnet, which would require just the same energy it takes to move the truck this far away