Question

An airplane with a mass of 1.20 × 104 kg tows a glider with a mass of 0.60 × 104 kg. If the airplane propellers provide a net forward thrust of 3.60 × 104 n, what is the acceleration of the glider

Answer 1

Both airplane and glider accelerate with the same rate therefore, we use the formula,

$F_{net} =Ma=( m_{1} + m_{2} ) a$.

Here, $F_{net}$ is net force, $m_{1}$ is the mass of airplane, $m_{2}$ is the mass of the glider.

Given, $F_{net} = 3.60 \times 10^{4} \ N$,$m_{1}= 1.20 \times 10^{4} \ kg$ and $m_{2} = 0.60 \times 10^4 \ kg$.

Substituting these values, we get

$3.60 \times 10^{4} \ N = (1.20 \times 10^{4} \ kg + 0.60 \times 10^4 \ kg) \times a \\\\\ a =\frac{3.60 \times 10^{4} \ N}{1.80\times10^4 \ kg  } = 2.0 \ m/s^2$.

Thus, the acceleration of the glider is $2.0 \ m/s^2$.