Question

There are two forces acting on a box. the first force has a magnitude (size) of 8.5 n and pushes the box up. the second object has a magnitude (size) of 7.7 n and pushes the box down. what is the net force acting on this box?

Answer 1

The net force acting on the box with two opposing forces of 8.5 N upward and 7.7 N downward is 0.8 N upward. This is calculated by subtracting the downward force from the upward force.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering the net force acting on a box with two opposing forces, we can subtract the magnitude of the smaller force from the larger force since they are in opposite directions. In the scenario provided, one force is pushing the box up with 8.5 N while the other is pushing it down with 7.7 N. Therefore, the net force exerted on the box can be computed as follows:

Net force = Upward force - Downward force

Net force = 8.5 N - 7.7 N

Net force = 0.8 N (upward)

This means that the resulting net force acting on the box is 0.8 N upward. According to Newton's first law of motion, an object at rest will stay at rest, and an object in motion will stay in motion with a constant velocity unless acted upon by a net external force. Since there is a net force, the box would accelerate in the direction of the net force, which is upward in this case.