A desk is being pushed to the other side of the room with a force of 640 N, while friction is acting against the legs of the desk with a force of 200 N. What is the net force acting upon the desk?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The net force is the sum of all the forces acting on the desk. In this case, the forces are the applied force from pushing the desk (640 N) and the friction acting against the desk (200 N). Since the two forces are acting directly opposite each other, they have opposite signs. The net force is expressed by:
Net force = Applied force + Friction force
Net force = 640 N + (-200 N)
Net force = 440 N
Remember that friction is working against the applied force (in the opposite direction), so it is a negative value.

A Desk Is Being Pushed to the Other Side of the Room