Mechanics: Newton's Laws of Motion
Newton's Laws of Motion: Audio Guided Solution
Problem Set NL17, Question 5:
Claire deAisles is pushing a loaded cart down an aisle at the Hy-Vee Grocery Mart using a horizontal force of 16.6 N. In an effort to free up a hand, she places her 29.7-N toddler in the cart, adding to the 34.0 kg of cart and grocery mass. Starting from rest, she exerts this 16.6 N force for 3.43 seconds? Determine …
a. … the acceleration of the cart.
b. … the distance the cart will move during these 3.43 seconds.
(NOTE: the earlier problem being referred to in the Audio Help file can be found here.)
Audio Guided Solution
Habits of an Effective Problem Solver
-
Read the problem carefully and develop a mental picture of the physical situation. If necessary, sketch a simple diagram of the physical situation to help you visualize it.
-
Identify the known and unknown quantities in an organized manner. Equate given values to the symbols used to represent the corresponding quantity - e.g., m = 3.52 kg; a = 4.2 m/s/s; Fnet = ???.
-
Use physics formulas and conceptual reasoning to plot a strategy for solving for the unknown quantity.
-
Identify the appropriate formula(s) to use.
-
Perform substitutions and algebraic manipulations in order to solve for the unknown quantity.
Read About It!
Get more information on the topic of Newton's Laws of Motion at The Physics Classroom Tutorial.