Final answer:
The acceleration of a 5.0-kg block with no friction and acted upon by a 40.0 N force would be 8.0 m/s², as calculated by dividing the force by the mass of the block.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is related to the Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration (a) of an object is directly proportional to the net force (F) acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass (m), given by the formula a = F/m. In the scenario provided, a 5.0-kg block is being accelerated by a 40.0 N force, and the initial acceleration is 6.0 m/s². If the surface were frictionless, the whole force would go towards accelerating the block with no opposing friction force. Therefore, the acceleration of the block could be calculated simply using the formula stated above.
To find the acceleration on a frictionless surface, we divide the force by the mass. That is, acceleration a = 40.0 N / 5.0 kg = 8.0 m/s². With no friction, the acceleration of the block would be 8.0 m/s², which is more than the original scenario because there is no friction opposing the motion.