Question

A 10n force is applied to a 25kg mass to slide it across a frictional surface. What is the acceleration of the mass?

Answer 1

Answer: a = 0.4m/s^2 - 9.8*c where c is the coefficient of kinetic friction of the surface

Explanation: We know that, by the second Newton's law, a = F/m

where a is the acceleration, F is the net force and m is the mass of the object.

Then, if the surface is frictionless, the total force applied in the object is 10N, and the mass of the object is 25kg, so the acceleration is:

a =10N/25kg = 0.4m/s^2.

But if the surface is frictional, there will be a force of friction applied in the mass (this depends on the coefficient of friction and the weight of the mass), this means that the acceleration will be reduced.

If = -(9.8*25)*c

where c is a number that is bigger than 0 and smaller than 1, is called the coefficient of kinetic friction.

So the total force is now:

F = (10 - 9.8*25*c)

Then, the acceleration in a frictional surface is equal to:

a = (10 - 9.8*25*c)/25 = 0.4m/s^2 - 9.8*c

Answer 2

Force (in Newtons) equals mass (in kilograms) times acceleration (in meters per second squared).

Plug in the given force and mass to the equation and solve for acceleration:

10=25a

0.4m/s2=a

Hope this helps!!