Question

During an episode of turbulence in an airplane you feel 190 N heavier than usual. If your mass is 78 kg, what are the magnitude and direction of the airplane's acceleration?

Answer 1

The magnitude of the plane's acceleration during turbulence is 2.44 m/s², and the direction is upwards, as this would cause an increase in the apparent weight feeling.

Step-by-step explanation:

During an episode of turbulence in an airplane where you feel 190 N heavier than usual, and if your mass is 78 kg, we can find the magnitude and direction of the airplane's acceleration using Newton's second law of motion. The extra force you feel is due to the increased apparent weight, which can be calculated using the equation:

F = m × a

Here, F is the extra force (190 N), m is the mass (78 kg), and a is the acceleration we need to find.

Rearranging for acceleration, we get:

a = F / m = 190 N / 78 kg = 2.44 m/s²

The direction of acceleration would be upwards because the force you feel, that is making you heavier, would be a result of the plane accelerating upwards to counteract a downdraft in turbulence.