On its own, a tow truck has a maximum acceleration of 3.0 m/s². What will be its maximum acceleration when the truck is using a light horizontal chain to tow a bus of twice its own mass?
A) 2.0 m/s²
B) 1.5 m/s²
C) 1.0 m/s²
D) 2.5 m/s²

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The maximum acceleration of the system is determined by the total mass being accelerated. When the tow truck is towing the bus, the total mass is three times the mass of the tow truck. Therefore, the maximum acceleration is reduced to one-third of the original value, which is 1.0 m/s².

On Its Own, a Tow Truck Has a Maximum Acceleration