(a) The acceleration of the sledge is 1.5 m/s2. The mass of the child and sledge is 38 kg. (i) State the equation linking force, mass and acceleration. (11) Calculate the force needed to produce this acceleration.
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Answer:
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Define net force, external force, and system.
Understand Newton’s second law of motion.
Apply Newton’s second law to determine the weight of an object.
Newton’s second law of motion is closely related to Newton’s first law of motion. It mathematically states the cause and effect relationship between force and changes in motion. Newton’s second law of motion is more quantitative and is used extensively to calculate what happens in situations involving a force. Before we can write down Newton’s second law as a simple equation giving the exact relationship of force, mass, and acceleration, we need to sharpen some ideas that have already been mentioned.
First, what do we mean by a change in motion? The answer is that a change in motion is equivalent to a change in velocity. A change in velocity means, by definition, that there is an acceleration. Newton’s first law says that a net external force causes a change in motion; thus, we see that a net external force causes acceleration.