A student is investigating mass and acceleration. The student applies the same force of 40 N force to two boxes that have the same size and shape. Box 1 experiences an acceleration of 10 m/s^2 and box 2 experiences an acceleration of 5m/s^2.
The student claims that box 1 must have a smaller mass than box 2. Which argument best supports the student's claim? (1 point)
A. Heavier objects need greater force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.
B. Lighter objects need less force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate.
C. Lighter objects need greater force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate.
D. Heavier objects need less force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate
C. Lighter objects need greater force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate.
D. Heavier objects need less force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.
To determine the correct argument that supports the student's claim, we need to analyze the relationship between mass and acceleration based on the given information.
First, let's recall Newton's second law of motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force applied and inversely proportional to its mass (F = ma).
Let's examine the given scenario:
- Both boxes have the same size and shape, so we can assume that their mass will be a determining factor in their acceleration.
- Box 1 experiences an acceleration of 10 m/s^2, and box 2 experiences an acceleration of 5 m/s^2.
With this information, we can now go through each answer choice to see which one aligns with the evidence:
A. Heavier objects need greater force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate: This argument contradicts the given scenario because, in this case, box 1 (which has a smaller mass) experiences a greater acceleration than box 2. Thus, this statement is incorrect.
B. Lighter objects need less force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate: This statement does not apply to the given situation because both boxes are already in motion and experience different accelerations.
C. Lighter objects need greater force than heavier objects to start moving but will accelerate at the same rate: This statement is also incorrect because it suggests that lighter objects require more force to start moving, which is not supported by the scenario.
D. Heavier objects need less force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate: This statement aligns with the given situation since box 2 (with a greater mass) experiences a lower acceleration despite applying the same force. Therefore, this argument best supports the student's claim.
Therefore, the correct answer is D: Heavier objects need less force than lighter objects to accelerate at the same rate.