High School

We appreciate your visit to A 620 kg car pulling a 500 kg trailer accelerates forward at a rate of 2 29 m s² Assume frictional forces on the trailer. This page offers clear insights and highlights the essential aspects of the topic. Our goal is to provide a helpful and engaging learning experience. Explore the content and find the answers you need!

A 620 kg car pulling a 500 kg trailer accelerates forward at a rate of 2.29 m/s². Assume frictional forces on the trailer are negligible. Ignore air drag.

What is the force (in N) exerted by the trailer on the car?

A. 9,043 N
B. 5,810 N
C. 3,870 N
D. 2,345 N

Answer :

Final answer:

The force exerted by the trailer on the car is calculated using Newton's second law for the trailer and recognizing action-reaction pairs. With a mass of 500 kg for the trailer and an acceleration of 2.29 m/s², the force exerted by the trailer on the car is 1145 N, which is equal and opposite to the force the car exerts on the trailer. Therefore the correct answer is None of the above.

Explanation:

Since we're looking for the force the trailer exerts on the car, we actually need to find the force the car exerts on the trailer first and recognize that by Newton's third law (action-reaction pairs), this force will be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction to the force the trailer exerts on the car.

First, calculate the total force exerted on the system (car plus trailer) by using the combined mass and the given acceleration:

Ftotal = (mass of car + mass of trailer) × acceleration

Ftotal = (620 kg + 500 kg) × 2.29 m/s²

Ftotal = 1110 kg × 2.29 m/s²

Ftotal = 2541.9 N

This is the net force required to accelerate both the car and the trailer. But we only want the force that the trailer exerts on the car. For that, we need to use the mass of the trailer and the acceleration to find the force on just the trailer:

Ftrailer = mass of trailer × acceleration

Ftrailer = 500 kg × 2.29 m/s²

Ftrailer = 1145 N

This 1145 N is the force the car applies on the trailer, so by Newton's third law, it's also the force the trailer applies on the car but in the opposite direction. Hence, the correct answer is 1145 N.

Thanks for taking the time to read A 620 kg car pulling a 500 kg trailer accelerates forward at a rate of 2 29 m s² Assume frictional forces on the trailer. We hope the insights shared have been valuable and enhanced your understanding of the topic. Don�t hesitate to browse our website for more informative and engaging content!

Rewritten by : Barada