The center of mass of a system of particles obeys an equation similar to Newton's second law where:
A) is the total internal force and m is the total mass of the system
B) is the total internal force and m is the mass acting on the system
C) is the total external force and m is the total mass of the system
D) is the force of gravity and m is the mass of Earth
E) is the force of gravity and m is the total mass of the system

Question

The center of mass of a system of particles obeys an equation similar to Newton's second law  where:
A) is the total internal force and m is the total mass of the system 
B) is the total internal force and m is the mass acting on the system 
C) is the total external force and m is the total mass of the system 
D) is the force of gravity and m is the mass of Earth 
E) is the force of gravity and m is the total mass of the system

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The center of mass of a system of particles obeys the equation F = ma, where F is the total external force acting on the system and m is the total mass of the system. This is because the center of mass represents the overall motion of the system as a whole, and is affected only by external forces. Thus, choice C is the correct answer as it represents this equation.

The Center of Mass of a System of Particles Obeys