Final answer:
The force exerted by the 4.0 kg block on the 3.0 kg block is calculated using Newton's Second Law and is approximately 10 N, which is (a) from the given options.
Step-by-step explanation:
The original schoolwork question asked was: How much force does the 4.0 kg block exert on the 3.0 kg block?
The force exerted by one block on another in a system where two blocks are interacting can be calculated using Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the force on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration (F = m * a).
To find the acceleration of the system of blocks, we use the total force applied to the system and the combined mass of the blocks. Here, the applied force is 24 N, and the total mass is 4.0 kg + 3.0 kg = 7.0 kg. The acceleration of the system (a) is therefore the total force divided by the total mass, a = 24 N / 7.0 kg ≈ 3.43 m/s2.
The force that the 4.0 kg block exerts on the 3.0 kg block is equal to the mass of the 3.0 kg block times the acceleration of the system: F = 3.0 kg * 3.43 m/s2 ≈ 10 N. So, the correct answer is (a) 10 N.