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Using the formula F = m * a, solve the problem: 238N = 12kg * a for a. Explain your thought process and steps.

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Final answer:

The question involves using Newton's second law of motion to solve for acceleration. By re-arranging the formula F = m * a and substituting given values, the acceleration was found to be 19.83 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand concerns the rearrangement and solving of the equation derived from Newton's laws of motion, specifically F = m * a, to find the acceleration 'a' when a force of 238 Newtons is applied to a mass of 12 kg. The process to find acceleration involves the following steps:

  1. Starting with the equation F = m * a, where F is force, m is mass, and a is acceleration.
  2. We know that F is 238N and m is 12kg. Therefore, we substitute these values into the equation to get 238N = 12kg * a.
  3. To isolate a, we divide both sides of the equation by the mass (12kg) to get a = 238N / 12kg.
  4. Carrying out the division gives us the acceleration a = 19.83 m/s² (rounded to two decimal places).

The subject matter of this question is the foundational concept in physics, where we often use Newton's second law to relate force, mass, and acceleration.

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