Question

Nash uses a 0.02 kg cart and a 0.01 kg hanging weight during the investigation. Assuming no frictional forces are acting on the cart, calculate the net force on the cart, in newtons. Round your answer to the nearest thousandth. Use the on-screen keyboard to type your answer in the box below.

Answer 1

The net force on the cart is 0.0981 N when rounded to the nearest thousandth, calculated using the mass of the hanging weight and the acceleration due to gravity.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the net force on a cart in the absence of friction, we can use the force exerted by the hanging weight as the net force acting on the system. This force can be found by using the formula F = ma, where 'm' is the mass and 'a' is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.81 m/s²). Since only the hanging weight contributes to the acceleration in the vertical direction, and assuming no frictional forces, the net force on the cart will be due to the weight of the hanging mass.

Thus, the net force on the cart (Fnet) is the gravitational force acting on the hanging weight, which is calculated by:

Fnet = m * a = 0.01 kg * 9.81 m/s² = 0.0981 N

When rounded to the nearest thousandth, the net force on the cart is 0.098 N.