Final answer:
The impulse required to bring a 50 kg cart to rest from 10 m/s is calculated as the product of mass and change in velocity, resulting in 500 N·s, which corresponds to answer choice a) 500 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the impulse acting on a 50 kg cart to bring it to rest from 10 m/s, we can use the formula for impulse which is the change in momentum (Impulse = ∆p = m × ∆v). The mass m of the cart is 50 kg and the change in velocity ∆v is 10 m/s (from initial velocity of 10 m/s to 0 m/s since the cart is coming to rest).
So, the impulse I is:
I = m × ∆v = 50 kg × 10 m/s = 500 kg·m/s
Since impulse also equals force times time (I = F × t), and the question does not provide a time duration, we consider the impulse in its units of kg·m/s, which is equivalent to N·s (Newton-seconds). Here, the impulse is 500 N·s, meaning that an impulse of 500 Newtons acting for 1 second (or any equivalent product of force and time that results in 500 N·s) would bring the cart to rest. Therefore, our answer is a) 500 N.