Final answer:
The magnitude of the normal force acting on the student climbing a rock face is 588 Newtons.
Step-by-step explanation:
The normal force acts perpendicular to a surface and prevents objects from falling through it.
In this case, the student is climbing a rock face, so the normal force would be equal to the weight of the student.
Since there is no vertical motion, the normal force will be equal to the gravitational force acting on the student, which is given by the equation:
F_weight = m * g,
where m is the mass of the student and g is the acceleration due to gravity (approximately 9.8 m/s²).
Therefore, in this case, the magnitude of the normal force acting on the student would be:
F_normal = m * g
Substituting the given values:
F_normal = (60 kg) * (9.8 m/s²)
F_normal = 588 N