Final answer:
The normal force on an object resting on a flat table is equal to the object's weight (mg) and acts upward, balancing the downward gravitational force.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question deals with the concept in physics known as the normal force. When an object rests on a non-accelerating horizontal surface, the normal force (N) is the force exerted by the surface to support the weight of the object. The magnitude of the normal force is equal to the weight (mg) of the object and acts in the upward direction. Hence, the gravitational force acting on the object (its weight) is counteracted by the normal force provided by the surface it is resting upon.
It is crucial to understand that normal force is neither dependent on the coefficient of friction nor inversely proportional to the mass; instead, it is directed perpendicular to the surface, opposing the weight of the object, not its mass or velocity. So the correct answer to the question is b. N= mg in upward direction.