Question

A student pushes a 2.85 kg cart causing it to accelerate at a rate of 4.9 m/s squared .What amount of force must the student have used?(2 sig digs)

Answer 1

In order to find the force (F), you would have to use the formula for it:
F=ma
where m is mass and a is acceleration.
In the problem, the mass is 2.85kg and the acceleration is 4.9m/s^2.
Therefore,
F=2.85kg(4.9m/s^2)
F=13.965kg(m/s^2)
Since N=kg(m/s^2)
F=13.965N
And because the problem requires that we use only 2 significant figures,
F=13N
Therefore, the student must exert 13N of force.