Final answer:
Two blocks connected by a rope are at rest on a frictionless surface. The acceleration of the system can be determined using Newton's Second Law.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the given information, two blocks are connected by a light horizontal rope and sit at rest on a frictionless surface. Block A has a mass of 17.0 kg and block B has a mass of m kg. A constant horizontal force F is applied to the blocks.
In order to determine the acceleration of the system, we can use Newton's Second Law of Motion. The net force acting on the system is given by F - T, where T is the tension in the rope. The net force is equal to the mass of the system multiplied by the acceleration.
Therefore, F - T = (17.0 + m)a. From this equation, we can solve for the acceleration in terms of F, m, and T.