By Zencalcy Editorial TeamLast reviewed About us
On an incline, gravity pulls part of the weight along the slope while friction resists it. This calculator combines both to give the net force and acceleration, and reports whether the mass actually starts moving.
Acceleration and forces for a mass sliding down a ramp.
a = g(sin θ − μ cos θ) F_net = m · a
When μ cos θ is greater than sin θ the net force is negative, meaning static friction holds the mass in place. The calculator reports zero acceleration in that case.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| θ | Ramp angle above the horizontal. |
| μ | Coefficient of friction. |
| m | Mass, in kilograms. |
| a | Acceleration down the slope, in metres per second squared. |
With θ = 30° and μ = 0, acceleration is 9.80665 × 0.5 = 4.903 m/s² down the slope.
Continue with the Maximum Height Calculator, MOA Calculator, or the Momentum Calculator — or browse more kinematics tools and all physics calculators.
The normal force on an incline is mg cosθ, and friction is proportional to the normal force.
Results are computed from the standard equations of classical mechanics. Unit conversions use the SI definitions published by NIST. Air resistance is ignored unless the calculator names a drag model.
Reference material used to build and check this calculator:
Last reviewed: September 2026. See how we build and check every tool on the about page.
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Free calculator · No signup
Content updated: September 2026