Homework Help: physics

Posted by Sandhya on Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:26am.

If only external forces can cause the center of mass of a system of particles to accelerate, how can a car on level ground ever accelerate? We normally think of the car’s engine as supplying the force needed to accelerate the car, but is this true? Where does the external force that accelerates the car come from?

physics - Damon, Thursday, February 18, 2010 at 7:28am
Try to accelerate that car on smooth ice with bald tires.

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