Final answer:
The force exerted by a 4,000 kg car accelerating at 2 m/s² can be calculated using Newton's second law, and this force is 8,000 Newtons.
Step-by-step explanation:
Force Exerted by an Accelerating Car
If a car with a mass of 4,000 kg is accelerating at a rate of 2 m/s2, and it hits a tree, you can find the force it had just before impact by using Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force (F) is equal to the mass (m) multiplied by the acceleration (a). The formula is F = m × a. So, the force exerted by the car while it was accelerating can be calculated as:
F = 4,000 kg × 2 m/s2 = 8,000 N (Newtons).
This is the force the car would exert due to its acceleration, not necessarily the impact force, which would depend on the specific dynamics and time frame of the collision.