Question

For the system below, assuming no friction, to double the current value of the system acceleration, you can:

I. Double the value of m.
II. Halve the value of m.
III. Halve the value of (m1 + m2) by adjusting m1 only.

Answer 1

To double the system acceleration, one must halve the total mass of the system or adjust the mass of one of the components such that the total mass is halved, provided the net external force stays constant.

Step-by-step explanation:

To double the current value of the system acceleration, it's important to understand the relationship between force, mass, and acceleration as described by Newton's second law. As the equation for acceleration is a = Fnet/m, where a is the acceleration and m is the total mass of the system, we can infer that acceleration is inversely proportional to mass. Therefore, to double the acceleration, we must either double the net external force or halve the total mass of the system.

• Doubling the value of m (total mass) would actually halve the acceleration, not double it, since acceleration is inversely proportional to mass.
• Halving the value of m would double the acceleration since the relationship is inverse.
• Halving the value of (m1 + m2) by adjusting m1 only would also double the acceleration, assuming the net external force remains constant.