During a crash, a dummy with a mass of 60.0 kg hits an airbag that exerts a constant force on the dummy. The acceleration of the dummy is –250 m/s2. What force did the airbag exert on the dummy?
–4.17 kN
–15.0 kN
–23.5 kN
–240 kN
To find the force exerted by the airbag on the dummy, we can use Newton's second law which states that force equals mass times acceleration (F = ma).
Given:
Mass (m) = 60.0 kg
Acceleration (a) = -250 m/s^2 (negative sign indicates the direction of force opposite to the direction of motion)
Using the formula F = ma, we have:
F = 60.0 kg * (-250 m/s^2)
F = -15000 N
Converting this force to kilonewtons:
-15000 N = -15.0 kN
Therefore, the force exerted by the airbag on the dummy is -15.0 kN.