Does mass have an effect on the acceleration of an object on an incline?

For example, Will a car positioned at the top of a ramp with 20kg weight have the same acceleration as a car with 40kg weight? If not, which car will have the greater acceleration? (Assuming the cars are not moving when they are let go at the top of the ramp)Does mass have an effect on the acceleration of an object on an incline?
I agree with the physics analysis of the previous respondents who conclude that the two cars will accelerate at the same rate.





However, any Cub Scout (or former Cub Scout) who has participated in Pinewood Derby knows the real-world answer: The heavier car accelerates down the ramp faster than the lighter car (all other things being equal).





So we know what Physics tells us, and we know what happens in the real world, and they don't agree. Why not?





I think the answer to the mystery is that the two cars WOULD accelerate at exactly the same rate IF there were no rolling friction (friction of wheels against the track, and of axles against the bearings). But since there IS friction, and since that friction does not increase in proportion to the car's weight, the heavier car will accelerate faster. A smaller proportion of its acceleration force is devoted to overcoming friction, and a larger proportion is available to accelerate it down the ramp.





So the physicists are right if rolling resistance (and wind resistance) are zero. And they would also be right if the friction and wind resistance of the car increased with the car's weight. But while friction increases somewhat with weight, it does NOT increase in exact proportion to weight, so the heavier car wins the race. (If you don't believe me, check with your local cub Scout leader.)Does mass have an effect on the acceleration of an object on an incline?
Acceleration in this situation is independent of mass
No, they will both have the same acceleration, because the same force (forces cause acceleration) is acting on both of them: gravity. Their acceleration will be some fraction of the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m/s^2); you can calculate what fraction using simple trig. All this was proved by Galileo (I think?), dropping two weights off of the Tower of Pisa: popular opinion at the time held that the larger weight would fall faster (i.e., have greater acceleration). But nope, they both had the same acceleration, same velocity, and hit the ground at the same time. The same would apply to your two cars.
sorry but there is no such thing as a 20 kg weight.... 20 kg is a measure of mass and not weight.
Same size of cars? Mass doesn't not effect but size do, because of friction.
As you Know, F=ma, the Acceleration is Independent of the Mass, Inertia is Dependent of Mass. But the Force Will Be Different.
ok you made things extremely difficult for everyone to understand. you would expect it to be the same thing as in free fall experiments and principes where ideally all objects if released from the seam height they would fall at the same time.


that would have happened as well in the inclined problem situataion that you are considering .....but friction takes place.





since the angle is the same and since we know that a =F/m in idealy world they should behave the same BUT..








friction = friction coeficient * normal ot the plane weight vector.





since one body is heavier than the other it will epxerience greater friction therefore the net force that will make it move will not accelerate it so much. therefore the lighter body will accelerate more. if the freiction was not there it would be the same as ideal free fall whre the F force would be the Wx (components of weight in the x axis of movement.
Why not do the math? Tweak the question a little bit so that you're dropping two cars rather than pushing them down a ramp (think of it as making the ramp infinitely steep).





Then just figure it out - you know acceleration (coming down), that'll be 9.8 m/s^2, and you know v1, and you know the distance they're travelling....





Put all that info together, and you'll see the answer.
the car with the 40 kg weight will have more acceleration due to the force for gravity