Final answer:
The acceleration of the train with a mass of 4.5 kg and a force of 8.0 N applied to it is calculated using Newton's second law of motion, resulting in an acceleration of 1.78 m/s².
Step-by-step explanation:
The force (F) on the last car of a train with a mass (m) of 4.5 kg and a force of 8.0 N exerted on it can be used to calculate the train's acceleration (a) using Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force on an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration (F = ma).
To find the acceleration, we rearrange the formula to solve for a:
a = F / m
a = 8.0 N / 4.5 kg
a = 1.78 m/s²
The train's acceleration is therefore 1.78 m/s².