Serway & Jewett — Circular Motion and Other Applications of Newton's Laws: Problem 16

Review. A student, along with her backpack on the floor next to her, is in an elevator that is accelerating upward with acceleration \( a \). The student gives her backpack a quick kick at \( t = 0 \), imparting to it speed \( v \) and causing it to slide across the elevator floor. At time \( t \), the backpack hits the opposite wall a distance \( L \) away from the student. Find the coefficient of kinetic friction \( \mu_k \) between the backpack and the elevator floor.