Final answer:
The net force exerted on the trolley when two people pull on ropes, each applying 44 N of force at an angle of 39.5° with each other, can be found using the law of cosines.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked a question regarding the net force exerted on a trolley when two people pull on ropes attached to it. The ropes form a specific angle with each other, and the forces exerted by both people are equal in magnitude.
To find the magnitude of the net force, we can use the law of cosines. The net force can be calculated using the formula: F_net = √[F1^2 + F2^2 + 2 * F1 * F2 * cos(θ)], where F1 and F2 are the magnitudes of the forces and θ is the angle between them. Substituting the given values, we get: F_net = √[44^2 + 44^2 + 2 * 44 * 44 * cos(39.5°)].
By calculating this expression, we can determine the correct magnitude of the net force on the trolley. The possible answer options provided, including 0.0 N, 79.6 N, 82.8 N, and 88.0 N, suggest that one is the correct magnitude of the resultant force exerted on the trolley.