Final answer:
The acceleration of a block in a physics problem is found by applying Newton's second law, dividing the net force by the total mass. For a given force of 24 N and a block's mass of 6.0 kg, the acceleration would be 4.0 m/s². The same force would need to be applied to the block alone to maintain that acceleration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The magnitude of the acceleration of a block in a physics problem can be determined by using Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (a = F/m). If we are given that an applied force of 24 N acts on a system of blocks, and assuming no other forces are acting on the system other than gravity and tension, we can calculate the acceleration by dividing the net force by the total mass of the system.
For example, if the total mass of the system is 6.0 kg (mass of the second block), the acceleration (a) would be calculated as follows: a = F/m = 24 N / 6.0 kg = 4.0 m/s². To provide the second block with the same acceleration after they are separated, the same force of 24 N would need to be applied directly to the second block.