A 1200-kg car is pulling a 500-kg trailer along level ground.Friction of the road on the trailer is negligible.The car accelerates with an acceleration of 1.3 m/s².What is the force exerted by the car on the trailer?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The total mass that the car is accelerating is:
m_total = m_car + m_trailer
m_total = 1200 kg + 500 kg
m_total = 1700 kg

The force exerted by the car on the trailer can be calculated using Newton's second law:
F = m_total * a
F = 1700 kg * 1.3 m/s^2
F = 2210 N

But this is the total force exerted by the car on both itself and the trailer. To find the force exerted only on the trailer, we need to subtract the force exerted on the car itself:

F_trailer = F_total - F_car
F_trailer = 2210 N - (1200 kg * 1.3 m/s^2)
F_trailer = 2210 N - 1560 N
F_trailer = 650 N

Therefore, the force exerted by the car on the trailer is 650 N. The answer is C.

A 1200-Kg Car Is Pulling a 500-Kg Trailer Along Level