Forces of 8.85 N and 2.21 N act at right angles on a stack. What is the mass of the stack if it accelerates at a rate of 4.4 m/s^2?
To find the mass of the stack, we can use Newton's second law of motion, which states that the force acting on an object is equal to the mass of the object multiplied by its acceleration.
The given forces are 8.85 N and 2.21 N, and the acceleration is 4.4 m/s^2. We can assume that these forces act along the x-axis and y-axis, as they are at right angles.
Let's start by finding the net horizontal force acting on the stack, which can be achieved by subtracting the smaller force from the larger force:
Net horizontal force = 8.85 N - 2.21 N = 6.64 N
Next, using Newton's second law, we can determine the mass of the stack:
F = m * a
Rearranging the equation to solve for the mass (m), we have:
m = F / a
Substituting the values into the equation, we get:
m = 6.64 N / 4.4 m/s^2
m ≈ 1.51 kg
Therefore, the mass of the stack is approximately 1.51 kg.