Final answer:
The student applies a force of 50 N to the box when they use 500 J of work to push it 10 m across the floor.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student is asking how much force they apply to a box when they use 500 J of work to push it 10 m across the floor in 4 seconds. To find the force applied to the box, we can use the formula for work done, which is work (W) equals force (F) multiplied by distance (d): W = F × d. We can solve for force (F) by rearranging the formula: F = W / d. Plugging in the given values we get F = 500 J / 10 m, which results in a force of 50 N. Therefore, the student applies a force of 50 N to the box.