If a car travels westward with a constant velocity of 20 m/s, what is the net external force acting on it?
Net external= applied force - friction
If the applied is equal to friction, velocity is constant, so net external force is zero.
To determine the net external force acting on a car, we need to consider Newton's second law of motion. According to this law, the net force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
In this case, the car is traveling with a constant velocity of 20 m/s westward. Since the velocity is constant, there is no acceleration. Therefore, the net external force acting on the car is zero.
This is because the car is moving with a uniform velocity, meaning the forces acting on it are balanced. The engine of the car is providing a forward force, but an equal and opposite force from friction and air resistance is acting in the opposite direction.
So, to answer your question, the net external force acting on the car is zero since it is moving with a constant velocity and there is no acceleration.