Question

1. A 8000 kg engine pulls a train of 5 wagons, each of 2000 kg,
along a horizontal track. If the engine exerts a force of 40000 N
and the track offers a friction force of 5000 N, then calculate:
stone and the ice
(a) the net accelerating force and
(b) the acceleration of the train.​

Answer 1

Answer:

Given parameters

Mass of the engine = 8000 kg

Number of wagons = 5

Mass of the wagons = 2000 kg

Force exerted by the engine (F ) = 40000 N

Frictional force offered by the track (Ff) = 5000 N

(a) Net accelerating force (Fa) = F – Ff

Fa = 40000 N – 5000 N

Fa = 35000 N

(b) Let us consider the acceleration of the train be a m/s2

Acceleration is the ratio of net acceleration force by mass, i.e

a = Fa/m

Where m is the mass of the train, it can be calculated as follows

Total mass of the train (m) = Mass of the engine + (Mass of the wagons + Number of wagons)

m = 8000 + (5 × 2000)

m = 18000 kg

Acceleration of the train (a) = 35000/18000

a = 1.944m/s2

(c) Force of wagon 1 on wagon 2 = 4 × mass of wagon × a

Force of wagon 1 on wagon 2 = 4 × 2000 × 1.944

Force of wagon 1 on wagon 2 = 15552 N

Hope it helped u.