Final answer:
Using Newton's second law (F = ma), the mass of the object with a force of 8.7 N and an acceleration of 2.9 m/s² is calculated to be 3.0 kg. There might be a rounding error in the available options.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the mass of the object, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force exerted by an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma). In this problem, we have a force (F) of 8.7 kg·m/s² and an acceleration (a) of 2.9 m/s². Thus, we can rearrange the formula to solve for mass (m) as follows:
m = F / a
Substituting the given values:
m = 8.7 kg·m/s² / 2.9 m/s²
When we divide the force by the acceleration, we find that:
m = 3.0 kg
The mass of the object is therefore 3.0 kg, which is not one of the options given. However, assuming that there may have been a rounding error in the options provided, the closest answer to 3.0 kg would be:
b) 8.7 kg