Final answer:
The acceleration of the last car of a train with a mass of 4.5 kg and a force of 8.0 N applied to it is calculated to be 1.78 m/s², using Newton's second law of motion (F = ma).
Step-by-step explanation:
The force on the last car of a train with a mass of 4.5 kg is 8.0 N. To find the train's acceleration, we use the second law of motion, which states that the force applied on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma). To isolate acceleration, we need to divide the force by the mass (a = F/m).
The force on the last car of a train can be determined using the formula F = ma, where F is the force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration.
Calculating the acceleration:
a = F/m
a = 8.0 N / 4.5 kg
a = 1.78 m/s²
Therefore, the acceleration of the train is 1.78 m/s², making the correct answer (a).