Final answer:
Newton's second law of motion states that the change in motion of a body is proportional to the force acting on it. This law can be expressed verbally as well as mathematically. To solve problems using this law, you need to determine the net force, identify the mass, and calculate the acceleration using the formula F = ma.
Step-by-step explanation:
Newton's second law of motion states that the change of motion of a body is proportional to and in the direction of the force acting on it.
This law can be described both verbally and mathematically. Verbal definition: The change of motion of an object depends on the net force acting on it and the mass of the object. Mathematical expression: F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration.
To solve problems using Newton's second law, you can follow these steps:
- Determine the net force acting on the object.
- Identify the mass of the object.
- Calculate the acceleration of the object using the formula a = F/m.
In the given example, a car with a weight of 2,000 kg applies a force of 560 N on the road. The passengers in the car, each weighing 55 kg, can be neglected for this calculation. To find the acceleration, use the formula a = F/m, where F is the parallel component of the force applied by the car and m is the mass of the car. Substitute the values into the equation to find the acceleration.