Sarah claims that box 1 must have a smaller mass than box 2. Which argument best supports the student's claim?
a
Heavier objects require less force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.
b
Heavier objects require greater force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.
c
Lighter objects require less force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate.
d
Lighter objects require greater force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate.
The correct argument to support Sarah's claim that box 1 must have a smaller mass than box 2 is:
b. Heavier objects require greater force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.
This statement is based on Newton's Second Law of Motion, which can be formulated as F = ma, where F is the force applied to an object, m is the mass of the object, and a is the acceleration of the object. According to this law, the force needed to accelerate an object is directly proportional to its mass: the greater the mass of the object, the more force is needed to achieve the same acceleration. Therefore, if box 1 requires less force than box 2 to accelerate at the same rate, it must have a smaller mass.