Final answer:
The initial acceleration of the hot air balloon with a mass of 910 kg and an upwards force of 400 N is approximately 0.439 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The initial acceleration of a hot air balloon that has a total mass of 910 kg and is acted upon by an unbalanced force of 400 N upwards can be calculated using Newton's second law of motion, which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F=ma). To calculate the acceleration (a), you would rearrange the equation to solve for a, so a = F/m.
By plugging in the values, the calculation would be: a = 400 N / 910 kg, which gives an initial acceleration of approximately 0.439 m/s². Therefore, the correct answer is (a) 0.439 m/s².