Question

A 10 kg mass rests on a table. What acceleration will be generated when a force of 20 N is applied and encounters a frictional force of 15 N?

Answer 1

The frictional force is oposing the force that we apply to this mass. Therefore the overall force is
`F_(total)=F_(applied)-F_(friction)=20-15 =5 (Newton)`
The second principle of physics tells us that the acceleration of a mass is direct proportional to the applied force, the mass of that object being the proportionality constant.

`F=m*a`
Hence
`a= (F)/(m)=5/10 =0.5 (m/s^2)`