Question

A flea jumps by exerting a force of 1.20×10−5N straight down on the ground. A breeze blowing on the flea parallel to the ground exerts a force of 0.500×10−6N on the flea. Find the direction and magnitude of the acceleration of the flea if its mass is 6.00×10−7kg. Do not neglect the gravitational force.(a) What is the direction and magnitude of the acceleration of the flea, given a downward force of 1.20×10^−5 N and a horizontal force of 0.500×10^−6 N from the breeze?

a) Downward, 0.004 m/s²
b) Upward, 0.002 m/s²
c) Horizontal, 0.008 m/s²
d) No acceleration

Answer 1

To find the acceleration of the flea, we analyze the net force in both the vertical and horizontal directions, considering the forces from the jump, the breeze, and gravity, before applying Newton's second law.

Step-by-step explanation:

To calculate the direction and magnitude of the acceleration of the flea, we begin by considering all the forces acting on it. The force exerted by the flea downward is 1.20 × 10-5 N and the breeze exerts a horizontal force of 0.500 × 10-6 N. Additionally, the gravitational force acting on the flea is the product of its mass and the acceleration due to gravity (g = 9.8 m/s2), which is 6.00 × 10-7 kg × 9.8 m/s2 = 5.88 × 10-6 N downward.