Question

A 16 kg cart is being pulled by 95.4 N force to the left. What is the acceleration of the cart?

Answer 1

Hi there!

We can use Newton's Second Law to solve:

$\large\boxed{\Sigma F = ma}}$

∑F = Net force (N)

m = mass (kg)

a = acceleration (m/s²)

Rearrange the equation to solve for acceleration:

$\large\boxed{a = \frac{F}{m}}$

Plug in the values given to solve for the magnitude of the force.

$a = \frac{95.4}{16} = \boxed{5.96 m/s^2 \text{ To the left}}$

**However, if we want to assign the left direction to be NEGATIVE, then the acceleration of the cart due to a leftward net force would be -5.96 m/s².