Question

A 5 kg box sits next to (in contact with) a 2 kg box. The 5 kg box is pushed to the right so that both boxes move together with an acceleration of 4 m/s^2.

a) Determine the net force acting on the system.
A) 42 N
B) 14 N
C) 28 N
D) 70 N

Answer 1

The net force acting on the two-box system with a combined mass of 7 kg and an acceleration of 4 m/s^2 is calculated using Newton's second law (F=ma) and is found to be 28 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question at hand involves determining the net force acting on a system of two boxes, one with a mass of 5 kg, and the other with a mass of 2 kg, which are being accelerated together to the right at 4 m/s2. To calculate this, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F=ma).

The total mass of the two boxes is 5 kg + 2 kg = 7 kg. Given that their acceleration is 4 m/s2, the net force can be calculated as follows:
F = ma
F = (7 kg)(4 m/s2)
F = 28 N

Therefore, the correct answer is C) 28 N.