Question

An object with a mass of `8 kg` is acted on by two forces. The first is `F_1= < -2 N , 1 N>` and the second is `F_2 = < 3 N, -1 N>`. What is the object's rate and direction of acceleration?

Answer 1

Acceleration is `1/8 ms^(-2) \ mathbf (e_x)`

Explanation:

Newton's Second Law:

`sum mathbf F = m mathbf a`

`sum mathbf F = langle -2 , 1 rangle + langle 3 , -1 rangle = langle 1 , 0 rangle`

`= m mathbf a = 8 langle a_x , a_y rangle`

`implies a_x = 1/8, a_y = 0`

Units are `ms^(-2)`