Question

Three boxes are lined up so that they are touching each other as shown in the figure below. Box A has a mass of 30.0 kg, box B has a mass of 45.0 kg, and box C has a mass of 75.0 kg. An external force (F) pushes on box A toward the right, and the force that box B exerts on box C is 190 N.

What is the acceleration of the boxes?

Answer 1

To find the acceleration of the boxes, we can use Newton's second law, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma). The net force acting on box A is equal to the force that box B exerts on box C. The acceleration of the boxes is 6.33 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the acceleration of the boxes, we can use Newton's second law, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma).

In this case, the external force (F) is pushing on box A, so we need to find the net force acting on box A.

Since the boxes are touching, the force that box B exerts on box C is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force that box C exerts on box B.

Therefore, if the force exerted by box B on box C is 190 N, the force exerted by box C on box B is also 190 N. We can use this force as the net force acting on box A.

To calculate the acceleration, we divide the net force by the mass of box A: a = F/m = 190 N / 30.0 kg

= 6.33 m/s².