FIGURE 4-10
-The three forces represented in Fig. 4-10 act on an object. What is the direction of the acceleration of the object?
A)11.3° clockwise from the -x-axis
B)11.3° counterclockwise from the +y-axis
C)78.7° counterclockwise from the +x-axis
D)11.3° clockwise from the +y-axis
E)The mass of the object must be known to answer the question.

Question

FIGURE 4-10 
-The three forces represented in Fig. 4-10 act on an object. What is the direction of the acceleration of the object?
A)11.3° clockwise from the -x-axis 
B)11.3° counterclockwise from the +y-axis 
C)78.7° counterclockwise from the +x-axis 
D)11.3° clockwise from the +y-axis 
E)The mass of the object must be known to answer the question.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of acceleration is determined by the net force vector, which is the vector sum of the three forces. The angle given (11.3° counterclockwise from the +y-axis) indicates the direction of this net force. The mass of the object is not needed to determine the direction, only the magnitude of acceleration.

FIGURE 4-10 -The Three Forces Represented in Fig. 4-10 Act on an Act