Question

A cleaner pushes a 4.50-kg laundry cart in such a way that the net external force on it is 60.0 N. Calculate the magnitude of his cart’s acceleration.

a) 13.3 m/s²
b) 12.0 m/s²
c) 15.0 m/s²
d) 14.5 m/s²

Answer 1

The magnitude of the cart's acceleration is 13.3 m/s².

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the magnitude of acceleration, we can use Newton's second law of motion which states that the net force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration. Rearranging this equation, we get:

acceleration = net force / mass

Given that the net external force is 60.0 N and the mass of the cart is 4.50 kg, we can substitute these values into the equation to find the magnitude of the cart's acceleration:

acceleration = 60.0 N / 4.50 kg = 13.3 m/s²

Therefore, the magnitude of the cart's acceleration is 13.3 m/s².