Dale and Alex push on opposite sides of a couch. Dale pushes to the left with a force of 250 N, while Alex pushes to the right with a force of 130 N. If the couch has a mass of 32 kg, what is the acceleration of the couch?
F=ma
a=F/m
F=+250N + (-130N)=120N LEFT
('m summing my forces because they are moving about the same axis, and the negative/positive accounts for the arbitrary directions I assign)
m=32kg
F=120N/32kg=3.75m/s^2 to the LEFT
3.75m/s^2 to the LEFT
The acceleration of the couch is required.
The acceleration of the couch is \(3.75\ \text{m/s}^2\) towards the left.
Let the direction towards the right be positive and left be negative.
\(F_1=-250\ \text{N}\)
\(F_2=130\ \text{N}\)
Net force
\(F=F_1+F_2\\\Rightarrow F=-250+130\\\Rightarrow F=-120\ \text{N}\)
m = Mass of couch = 32 kg
Force is given by
\(F=ma\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{F}{m}\\\Rightarrow a=\dfrac{-120}{32}\\\Rightarrow a=-3.75\ \text{m/s}^2\)
The acceleration of the couch is \(3.75\ \text{m/s}^2\) towards the left.
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