Question

The force that friction exerts on a car is proportional to its mass. Suppose friction exerts 6,272 newtons (N) of force on a 1,600 kilogram (kg) car on a wet road. How many newtons of force would friction exert on a 2,400 kg car under the same conditions?

Answer 1

ANSWER:

9408 N

STEP-BY-STEP EXPLANATION:

Since they are the same conditions, the acceleration must be the same in both cases.

We calculate the acceleration, knowing that the force is equal to the mass times the acceleration, just like this:

$\begin{gathered} F=m\cdot a \\ a=\frac{F}{m} \\ a=\frac{6272}{1600} \\ a=3.92m/s^2 \end{gathered}$

Now, we calculate the force, applying the same formula, but with the new mass:

$\begin{gathered} F=2400\cdot3.92 \\ F=9408\text{ N} \end{gathered}$

The force is 9408 newtons