Question

Watch the video of Henrietta slowly pushing the chair under the table. Which statement describes the change in motion if the mass of the chair were changed?

a. If the mass of the chair decreased, the force needed would decrease.
b. If the mass of the chair increased, the force needed would decrease.
c. If the mass of the chair decreased, an increased force would not move it.
d. To keep the same motion, the force needed would stay the same when the mass of the chair is changed.

Answer 1

If the mass of the chair decreased, the force needed to push it at the same rate under the table would decrease, which aligns with Newton's second law of motion.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question deals with Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of a body is proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. When Henrietta pushes the chair under the table, this principle implies that if the mass of the chair decreased, the same force would produce a greater acceleration since acceleration and mass are inversely related. Conversely, if the mass of the chair increased, a greater force would be required to achieve the same acceleration. Therefore, the correct statement describing the change in motion if the mass of the chair were changed is: a. If the mass of the chair decreased, the force needed would decrease. This is because with less mass, less force is needed to push the chair at the same rate. This particular scenario is an application of Newton's second law in the context of everyday objects and movements.