Question

multiple choice question
after pushing a couch across a floor to the right, against friction, you cease pushing. which free-body diagram correctly depicts the forces on the couch immediately after you have stopped pushing it, but before the couch comes to a full stop?
○ b
○ d
○ e
○ f
○ a
○ c

Explanation:

1. Vertical forces: The couch has weight pulling down, and the normal force from the floor pushing up. These two forces are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, so they cancel each other.
2. Horizontal forces: After stopping the push, the only horizontal force acting on the moving couch is kinetic friction, which acts opposite to the direction of motion (to the left, since the couch was moving right). There is no applied push force anymore.
3. Matching to diagrams: Diagram C has balanced vertical forces (up/down arrows equal) and a single net horizontal force to the left (left arrow longer than right arrow, representing friction slowing the couch).

Answer:

C