Final answer:
The force needed to move a 500 g object depends on various factors like friction and desired acceleration. To lift the object against gravity, the force required would be 4.9 N.
Step-by-step explanation:
The force required to move an object does not depend merely on the mass and distance. Instead, it relies on friction, the surface the object is on, and the amount of acceleration if we are trying to accelerate the object. To simply move a 500 g (0.5 kg) mass without acceleration, and assuming there's no friction or other forces to overcome, the required force could be extremely small. However, if we are interested in the force needed to lift the object against gravity, we can use the equation F = mg, where F is the force in Newtons (N), m is the mass in kilograms (kg), and g is the acceleration due to gravity, approximately 9.8 m/s². For a mass of 0.5 kg, this would be F = (0.5 kg)(9.8 m/s²) = 4.9 N. This calculation gives you the force needed to lift the object in a gravitational field, which is equivalent to its weight.