A trailer has a mass of 5000 kg. It is pulled by a truck with a force of 8750 N. If the frictional force is 2000 N, what is its acceleration?
Would I need to subtract both forces then divide the answer by the mass?
To determine the acceleration of the trailer, you would need to calculate the net force acting on the trailer and then divide that by its mass.
The net force is the difference between the force applied by the truck and the frictional force:
Net force = Force applied by truck - Frictional force
Net force = 8750 N - 2000 N
Net force = 6750 N
Now, you can calculate the acceleration by dividing the net force by the mass of the trailer:
Acceleration = Net force / Mass
Acceleration = 6750 N / 5000 kg
Acceleration = 1.35 m/s²
So, the acceleration of the trailer is 1.35 m/s².