Final answer:
To calculate the acceleration of two water-skiers being towed by a boat, one must apply Newton's second law. The combined mass of the skiers is 109 kg, and the net force is 290 N. The acceleration rate is 2.66 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question is related to the rate at which two water-skiers will accelerate when towed behind a boat. To find the acceleration, one must apply Newton's second law of motion which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma). The net force exerted on the skiers is 290 N, and the combined mass of the skiers is 48 kg + 61 kg, which equals 109 kg.
In New Jersey, when a boat is pulling or retrieving a skier from the water, or when a towline is in the water, it is required to display a bright orange flag or pennant at least four feet above the highest structure on the boat. This is to indicate to other boaters that a skier is in the water and to exercise caution.
To find the acceleration (a), we use the formula a = F / m. Here, F is 290 N (the net force) and m is 109 kg (the combined mass of the skiers). When we plug the values into the formula, it gives us:
a = 290 N / 109 kg = 2.66 m/s2 (rounded to two decimal places).
Thus, the skiers will accelerate at a rate of 2.66 meters per second squared.