Block sliding up and down a ramp physics problem with kinetic friction, find the acceleration.

We calculate the acceleration on the way up and on the way down an incline for a block sliding up and down a ramp with kinetic friction. We start by decomposing the force of gravity into parallel and perpendicular components, then we determine the normal force and the direction and magnitude of the friction force to create our sliding up and down free body diagrams. Sliding up and down and incline, the friction force reverses direction because it always opposes the direction of slipping. In the sliding up and down a ramp force diagram, we see the friction up and down the ramp pointing in opposite directions, leading to a different net force sliding up and down the incline. This results in a different magnitude of acceleration sliding up the ramp and sliding down the ramp.