An object weighing 60,000 lbs is resting on a level concrete surface. What is the force needed to move the object?

To determine the force needed to move an object weighing 60,000 lbs resting on a level concrete surface, it is important to understand the concept of static friction. The force required to overcome static friction must be calculated based on the object's weight and the coefficient of friction between the object and the concrete.

In this scenario, the force required to initiate movement typically correlates with a certain percentage of the object's weight, where the coefficient of friction for concrete is often in the range of 0.6 to 0.8. This means the force needed to overcome static friction and start moving the object would be less than its total weight but still significant.

For this context, to find the force, we analyze typical values. If the coefficient of friction is on the higher end (around 0.6), the static friction force can be calculated as the weight of the object multiplied by the coefficient:

For example:

• Using a coefficient of 0.6:
  ( 60,000 lbs \times 0.6 = 36,000 lbs )

The result suggests approximately 36,000 lbs of force is required to initiate movement under ideal conditions.

Therefore, focusing on the right answer to this question, the force required to move