A motorized winch is pulling a supply pallet across a rough concrete loading dock. The win… — Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

A motorized winch is pulling a supply pallet across a rough concrete loading dock. The winch applies a constant horizontal pulling force of $1,500 \text{ N}$ . The kinetic friction between the pallet and the dock is $300 \text{ N}$ . If the pallet accelerates at $1.5 \text{ m/s}^2$ , what is the mass of the pallet?

A
$80 \text{ kg}$
$800 \text{ kg}$ Answer
C
$1,000 \text{ kg}$
D
$1,800 \text{ kg}$

Answer

The correct mass of the pallet is

800 \text{ kg}

The correct answer is found by first determining the net force acting on the pallet. Subtracting the

300 \text{ N}

friction from the

1,500 \text{ N}

applied pulling force yields a net force of

1,200 \text{ N}

. Using Newton's Second Law (

F = ma

), dividing the net force by the acceleration (

1.5 \text{ m/s}^2

) gives a mass of

800 \text{ kg}

Step-by-Step Solution

Calculate the net force acting on the pallet by subtracting the friction force from the applied pulling force.

F_{net} = 1,500 \text{ N} - 300 \text{ N} = 1,200 \text{ N}

Newton's Second Law requires the total net force acting on the object, so all opposing forces must be accounted for.

Use Newton's Second Law (

F = ma

) to solve for the mass.

m = \frac{F_{net}}{a} = \frac{1,200 \text{ N}}{1.5 \text{ m/s}^2} = 800 \text{ kg}

Mass is equal to the net force divided by the resulting acceleration.

Key Concept

Newton's Second Law (F=ma) and Net Force

Question

Answer

Step-by-Step Solution

Key Concept

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