Question

A metal ball bearing with a mass of 5.5 kilograms slide across a smooth surface with an acceleration of 3.1 meters per second squared. According to Newton’s second law, force varies directly with acceleration. If the mass of the ball is the constant of variation, what force, in newtons, is being applied to the ball bearing?

Answer 1

The force applied to the metal ball bearing is calculated using Newton's second law of motion, F = m × a. With a mass of 5.5 kg and acceleration of 3.1 m/s², the applied force is found to be 17.05 N.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question requires us to calculate the force applied to a metal ball bearing using Newton's second law of motion, which states the force on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. Given that the mass of the ball bearing is 5.5 kilograms and the acceleration is 3.1 meters per second squared, we can use the formula F = m × a to find the force.

To calculate the force, simply multiply the mass of the ball bearing by the acceleration:

• Force (F) = mass (m) × acceleration (a)
• F = 5.5 kg × 3.1 m/s²
• F = 17.05 N

Therefore, the force being applied to the ball bearing is 17.05 newtons (N).