Final answer:
To determine the mass of the jet launched from an aircraft carrier, we use Newton's second law of motion, converting the jet's speed to meters per second and calculating the acceleration. With the known force and calculated acceleration, we find the mass to be approximately 2813 kg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question on an aircraft carrier involves calculating the mass of the jet based on the given force and acceleration. We can use Newton's second law of motion which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = m × a) to find the mass. We're given an average force exerted by the catapult (F = 9.30× 10⁵ N) and the jet's acceleration (from 0 to 250 km/h in 2.10 s, we first convert 250 km/h to m/s: (250 km/h)×(1000 m/km)×(1 h/3600 s) = 69.44 m/s). The acceleration a = change in velocity ÷ time, so a = 69.44 m/s ÷ 2.10 s = 33.07 m/s². We rearrange the formula for mass (m = F / a) and substitute the known values: m = (9.30× 10⁵ N) / (33.07 m/s²) = 2812.66 kg. Therefore, the mass of the jet is approximately 2813 kg.