Mail Time: I can't find the other force acting on this block!

Reader Josh writes in:

The system shown is traveling at a constant speed.  There is friction between block B and the ground, and there is friction between block B and block A.  We've been arguing where the second force is in the horizontal direction on block A is, if it even exists.  The forward force on A would be the static friction but I'm lost on where the other one is.  This is driving me bonkers...

Have we written a bogus question? If not, can you tell us where we're going wrong?

Ooh, what a great question.  Constant speed, eh?  In a straight line, so equilibrium? 

I think we all agree on the BOTTOM block's free body:  normal force of ground on B upward, weight downward, contact force of A on B downward, force of rope on B forward, and friction force of surface on B backward.

There's no horizontal forces acting on block A.  If there were, it'd be speeding up or slowing down, which it's not.  

You say "the forward force on A is static friction."  Well, static friction takes on any value up to the maximum.  I agree that static friction must act WHILE THE BLOCKS SPEED UP.  Once they attain constant speed, though, the static friction force drops to zero.  If the block slows down again, then the static friction force on A will be backward. 

What a great AP Physics 1 question.  More complicated than you thought, I suspect.  :-)