Question

An overnight rainstorm has caused a major roadblock. Three massive rocks of mass m1=584 kg, m2=838 kg, and m3=322 kg have blocked a busy road. The rocks are lined up from left to right in the order m1, m2, and m3. The city calls a local contractor to use a bulldozer to clear the road. The bulldozer applies a constant force to m1 in order to slide the rocks off the road. Assuming the road is a flat, frictionless surface and the rocks are all in contact, what force, ????A, must be applied to m1 to slowly accelerate the group of rocks from the road at 0.250 m/s2?

Answer 1

Force must be applied to m₁ to move the group of rocks from the road at 0.250 m/s² = 436 N

Step-by-step explanation:

Total force required = Mass x Acceleration,

F = ma

Here we need to consider the system as combine, total mass need to be considered.

Total mass, a = m₁+m₂+m₃ = 584 + 838 + 322 = 1744 kg

We need to accelerate the group of rocks from the road at 0.250 m/s²

That is acceleration, a = 0.250 m/s²

Force required, F = ma = 1744 x 0.25 = 436 N

Force must be applied to m₁ to move the group of rocks from the road at 0.250 m/s² = 436 N