Question

Four students are playing a game of tug-of-war. The two students on the right have masses of 54 kg and 57 kg, and pull with a combined force of 140 N. The two students on the left have masses of 53 kg and 55 kg and pull with a combined force of 120 N. Calculate the magnitude and direction of the acceleration of the students.

Answer 1

Magnitude of force:F=m×a
On the right: 140=(54+57)×a. (As they pull together you also have to summate their Mass)
140/111=a
In the legt: 120=(53+55)×a
120/108=a
I dont know how to calculate the direction because there is no angle ,etc given but I think they pull in opposite directions...!

Answer 2

We have to first obtain the resultant force and use it to obtain the acceleration as 0.18 ms-2.

What is the resultant force?

The resultant force is that singular force that has the same effect in magnitude and direction as two or more forces acting together. Now since the students involved in the thug of war all lie on the same line.

Let us take the right to be positive and the left to be negative, the resultant force now is; 140 N - 120 N = 20N whose direction  is to the right.

The total mass  to the right is 111Kg hence the acceleration is;

111Kg * a = 20 N

a = 20 N/111Kg

a = 0.18 ms-2

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