Final answer:
On an icy, frictionless surface, the 60 kg boy and 40 kg girl, exerting equal but opposite forces in a tug of war, result in a net force of zero and consequently an acceleration of the system of 0 m/s².
The correct option is d.
Step-by-step explanation:
In a tug of war on a frictionless surface, the net force acting on the system determines the acceleration. The force exerted by each person is equal in magnitude but opposite in direction, resulting in a net force.
The net force F_net can be calculated using Newton's second law:
F_net = m_total . a
where m_total is the total mass of the system (sum of the boy's and girl's masses) and a is the acceleration.
F_net = (60 kg + 40kg) . a ]
Given that the force exerted by each person is equal and opposite, the net force is zero F_net = 0. Therefore, the acceleration (\(a\)) is also zero.
The correct answer is:
d) 0 m/s²