A 1400kg truck is pulling a 900kg trailer to the right by generating a 240N force. The truck is experiencing a 450N drag and trailer experiences 360N drag.
To find the net force acting on the truck-trailer system, we need to consider the forces acting in the horizontal direction.
First, let's calculate the total drag force acting on the system. We can add the drag forces on the truck and the trailer together:
Total drag force = Drag force on the truck + Drag force on the trailer
Total drag force = 450N + 360N
Total drag force = 810N
Now, let's calculate the net force acting on the truck-trailer system. To find the net force, we subtract the total drag force from the force applied by the truck:
Net force = Applied force by the truck - Total drag force
Net force = 240N - 810N
Net force = -570N
The negative sign indicates that the net force is acting in the opposite direction of the applied force. In this case, the net force is to the left.
Since we know the mass of the truck and the trailer, we can calculate the acceleration using Newton's second law:
Net force = mass * acceleration
Rearranging the equation, we can solve for the acceleration:
Acceleration = Net force / mass
Acceleration = -570N / (1400kg + 900kg)
Acceleration = -570N / 2300kg
Therefore, the acceleration of the truck-trailer system is approximately -0.248 m/s^2 to the left.