Scotty Skydiver of mass 100 kg experiences air resistance of 500 N, and an acceleration of about
A)0.2 g.
B)0.3 g.
C)0.4 g.
D)0.5 g.
E)greater than 0.5 g.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The net force experienced by Scotty is F_net = ma. Since he is experiencing air resistance, the net force will be less than his weight, and we can write F_net = mg - R, where R is the force due to air resistance. Plugging in the given values, we get F_net = (100 kg)(9.8 m/s^2) - 500 N = 980 N - 500 N = 480 N. Therefore, a = F_net/m = (480 N)/(100 kg) = 4.8 m/s^2. Dividing this by g (9.8 m/s^2) gives us 0.49, which is closest to 0.5 g. Therefore, the answer is D.

Scotty Skydiver of Mass 100 Kg Experiences Air Resistance of 500