Final answer:
To calculate the force needed to accelerate a space shuttle with a mass of 2,030,000 kg at 15 m/s², we use Newton's second law of motion, which gives us a force of 30,450,000 N. The correct answer is B) 30,540,000 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to calculating the force required to accelerate an object, specifically a space shuttle, which is a classic physics problem involving Newton's second law of motion.
According to Newton's second law, the force required to accelerate an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by the acceleration (F = m × a). Using this equation, we can calculate the force needed to accelerate the space shuttle:
F = m × a = (2,030,000 kg) × (15 m/s²) = 30,450,000 N
The correct answer is therefore B) 30,450,000 N, which is the amount of force needed to accelerate the space shuttle at 15 m/s² given its mass of 2,030,000 kg.