Question

A gust of wind blows an apple from a tree. As the apple falls, the force of gravity on the apple is 9.39 N downward, and the force of the wind on the apple is 1.54 N to the right. What is the magnitude of the net external force on the apple?

Answer 1

Use the Pythagorean theorem to put the two components together because they are perpendicular to each other and if you were to draw a force vector for the total force it would complete a right triangle with the other two. The r silt is therefore 9.52 N.